Inevitable: Another Vauseman Story
by LannisterLion91
Summary: Vause and Chapman always seemed inevitable. What happens when it's not Piper and Alex who fall in love, but a different Vauseman altogether? OCs but Alex and Piper play central roles, and the rest of the favorites make appearances. Also, slightly AU.
1. Chapter 1

"Yo, Vause," Nicky hollered from the door to the alley. "How long's it going to take you to bring in this shipment?"

Jameson Vause, shirtless, soaked in sweat, and looking deeply annoyed, appeared around side of the delivery truck. The 24-year-old was the spitting image of his mother, from his jet black hair and towering height to his piercing green eyes. Hell, he'd even inherited Alex's signature eyebrow cock and only thing missing were the signature secretary glasses, as the kid had somehow managed to inherit 20/20 vision.

"It'd go a lot quicker if you would help instead of shouting at me every ten minutes"

Nicky couldn't fight her grin. She loved Jamie like he was her own son and was happy to hire him on as a bartender in her pub, but it was the kid's knack for banter that made her keep him on for the past three years.

"In that case, take your time," Nicky replied before disappearing back into the bar.

Jameson rolled his eyes and returned to the task at hand. It was about a thousand degrees outside, and the New York summer wasn't going to take any mercy on him. If he hustled, he might even have time to run home and grab a shower before his shift. One tended to get more tips if one didn't smell like a locker room.

"This is the last of 'em, boss," Jameson called as he brought the last crate of beer up to the front to stock for his upcoming shift. "You know, I think it's time we discussed my raise."

As he came out of the backroom, Jameson noticed an extremely gorgeous blonde girl sitting at the bar. Nicky was nowhere in sight.

"Hey."

"H-hello," the girl sputtered before averting her gaze.

Jameson glanced down and realized he was still shirtless. With a smirk, he found the black t-shirt he'd left under the bar and pulled it over his head.

"Normally I never turn away anyone that looks as good as you do, but unfortunately, we're closed." Jameson leaned on the bar top across from where the girl was sitting. "See, my boss is kind of a hardass, and I don't want to give her anymore reasons to ride me."

The blonde opened her mouth to speak, and Jameson found that he could not look away from her pink lips. However, before she could get a word out, Nicky reappeared. To Jameson's surprise, she looked a little uncomfortable.

"Ah. You're already done. I thought you'd be out there a little longer...uh, well, uh...oh, fuck it. Vause, this is Chapman. Chapman, Vause."

Jameson shook his head at Nicky's odd behavior.

"Hi," the blonde smiled, "I'm Paris Chapman."

"Jameson," the dark-haired boy replied.

"Chapman, here, just moved to the city to prove to us all how fuckin' smart she is."

"I'm here for graduate school," Paris translated when Jameson shot her a confused look.

"To-may-to, to-maw-to," Nicky shrugged. "Anyway, her mother and I go way back, and she asked if I'd help make this lonely old city feel like home for her little girl. Isn't that right, blondie?"

Paris blushed.

"You're doing a hell of a job of it so far, Nick," Jameson teased.

Nicky flipped him off before starting for her office.

"Look, I got a killer hangover to nurse before we open, so can you show the gal around a bit?" the wild-haired woman asked Jameson. Then turning to Paris, she added, "I swear we can play family tomorrow."

She gave them both an over-exaggerated salute before disappearing behind her office door. Jameson shook his head in exasperation.

"I have to stock up before tonight, but then we can get out of here and do a little exploring. Can I get you anything while you wait?"

"A margarita?" the blonde asked sweetly.

"Perfect drink for this kind of weather."

It wasn't long before Paris was sipping on the best margarita she'd ever had while Jameson stacked glasses and loaded the coolers. There was a comfortable silence between them, but Jameson's husky voice broke through it.

"So Paris," he drawled while he polished shot glasses. "That's an interesting name. Like the city or the mythology?"

Paris looked up in surprise and was met with Jameson's shrug.

"I read," he quipped with a smirk.

The blonde laughed in response, earning a genuine smile from the dark-haired bartender.

"Like the city," Paris answered after she'd caught her breath. "My mother named me after the place that changed her life forever...or so she always said."

Jameson nodded with a smile.

"Jameson is not exactly a common name either," Paris pressed.

"Yeah, well, my story's a little less poetic," he said with humor in his eyes.

Paris waited patiently for Jameson to continue.

"I'm named after the drink that convinced my mother to decide to have me."

Paris waited to see if he was joking, but when he continued working as if nothing was out of the ordinary, she pushed aside her empty margarita glass.

"Hold on. That deserves some explanation."

"Does it?" he retorted with an eyebrow cocked in amusement. "My mom had already purchased the sperm donation. She just needed a little liquid courage to actually go through with the process."

"Sperm donation," Paris repeated as if she was trying to piece together Jameson's backstory.

"Yup. My mom is all gay, all the time, but she got hit with the baby fever. Hence the donation."

"Oh."

Jameson smirked and finished the last of his opening duties.

"My mom is too," Paris blurted as Jameson was taking the trash to the back. "Gay, that is. Or she is sometimes...I don't know."

"Well, we'll definitely need to make sure they never meet."

"Why's that?" Paris asked, her head tilted adorably to the side.

"Because if your mom is as hot as you are, my mom won't waste any time in trying to pick her up," he replied casually before disappearing into the backroom and leaving Paris blushing fiercely.

On his way back out to the bar, Jameson felt a pair of hands grab the back of his shirt and pull him into the office.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Nicky whisper-shouted.

Jameson opened his mouth to reply, but Nicky shoved a finger against his lips.

"Nuh-uh. Zip it. Stop flirting with blondie."

"Can you move your finger?" Jameson mumbled against Nicky's invasive digit. When she complied, he added, "Thank you! Jesus, I shudder to think where that thing has been."

"You wish yours had seen as much action...wait, this was not the point of this little pow-wow," Nicky said, catching herself getting distracted.

"You were warning me off Paris…"Jameson offered.

"Right! Look, I know she's a looker, definitely your type."

Jameson was nodding along and smirking.

"But it can never happen," Nicky said resolutely.

"Can I ask why not?"

"No."

Jameson cocked an eyebrow, causing Nicky to pinch the bridge of her nose and sigh dramatically.

"Look, it's a long story. Maybe someday I'll tell you. Maybe not. It's probably your mother's story to tell anyway-." Nicky stopped abruptly. "Jesus fuck, kid. Just take the girl by my apartment, get her settled in, and get your ass back here for your shift. You think you can manage that?"

Jameson _definitely_ had questions, but he respected Nicky enough to knock it off for now. He shrugged and exited the office, wondering why his boss had brought his mom up. He found Paris where he'd left her.

"You're probably ready to get out of here and get settled in at Nicky's. So, what do you say?" he asked, offering her his arm.

Paris just laughed and swatted his arm away as she slid off the stool. Jameson feigned hurt before snatching up the blonde's overlarge, couture duffle bag and gesturing for her to follow him.

 *****A/N: Thanks to those of your who chose to follow along with me as I see where this story goes. Obviously, I'm a huge fan of Alex and Piper together, so maybe I'll find a way to make that work in this story. Maybe not. Either way, it's a Vauseman endgame, right? I'd love to hear your thoughts! *****


	2. Quick Announcement

Given the responses I've gotten, I'll stick with an Alex and Piper end game, but there will be a brief period with the younger Vausemans. Super brief so the story makes sense. Stick with me, lovelies.


	3. Chapter 2

*****A/N: Hey there! Like I said in my last update, this story is definitely OG Vauseman end game now, but as part of the journey, there will be a few chapters focusing on Jameson and Paris. I get it if it's not your thing, but I hope you can stick with me. I promise I'll do my best to make it worth it for you. Reviews and messages are always welcome!*****

 **Paris POV**

"So," he said when they reached the curb, "Nicky's place is too far to walk from here, especially in this heat with your moving van-sized bag. Cab, ride share, or subway?"

"Is there a station nearby?"

"Just a few blocks that way," Jameson said, pointing up the street.

"Subway, then."

"Look at that!" he exclaimed, causing Paris to examine herself frantically. "You just passed your first test on the way to becoming a New Yorker."

Paris rolled her eyes and set off in the direction Jameson had pointed. She heard him guffaw once and jog the few paces to fall in stride with her.

As they walked into the sweltering summer heat, Paris couldn't help but steal glances at her companion. Obviously, he was incredibly attractive. And obviously, he knew it. Still, there was genuine kindness in his eyes behind every smirk. Paris decided to see just what type of person Jameson Vause really was.

"You really don't need to take me all the way to Nicky's. I have the address."

The dark-headed young man shifted her heavy bag to his other shoulder.

"It's no problem. Nicky said she's supposed to make you feel at home here? Well, nothing can make a place feel less like home than getting lost on your first day."

Paris was secretly glad of the company, but she was determined to find the crack in Jameson's confidence. It was an impulse she didn't understand, yet it felt so natural.

"That's kind of you, but…"

She waved the tall man closer as if they were about to share an important secret.

"I'm a big girl," she continued in a fake whisper.

Jameson chuckled, and Paris immediately wanted to hear the sound again.

"How about this?" Jameson began diplomatically. "Nicky's apartment is in the same direction as mine. What if I stick with you until it's time for me to branch off? Then I wouldn't be doing you any favors. Think you can tolerate my company that long?"

Paris was elated that he'd fought to stay, but he couldn't know that. Not yet, anyway. She shrugged nonchalantly.

"If it's on the way," she agreed.

She didn't miss Jameson's knowing smirk before he rearranged his facial expression into one of impassivity. At the subway station, she was grateful she managed to get her MetroCard and swipe in without any hiccups. She could feel Jameson watching her the entire time, but he gave her the space to figure it out on her own.

They had to sprint to make the next train, and they managed to slip through the closing doors just in time. When they found open seats, Jameson let the bag slip from his hands with a melodramatic sigh before collapsing onto the bench.

"It's not _that_ heavy," Paris mumbled, situating herself in the seat next to him.

"Tell that to my shoulder!"

Jameson pulled the collar of his t-shirt away, exposing a darkening line across his muscular shoulder. Paris felt a wave of guilt wash over her. Her fingers flew up and began to trace the line as if they could erase the bruise.

"Oh shit! I'm so sorry. We should've just taken a car."

When she finally glanced up, she saw nothing but the humor in his bright, emerald eyes and that infuriating smirk playing across his lips. She quickly cleared her throat and removed her fingers from his skin.

They sat in silence for a few stations until an elderly woman carrying several grocery bags entered their full car. Paris watched as Jameson stood, slung her bag over his non-bruised shoulder, and wordlessly pointed the elderly woman to the newly opened seat.

Paris found the gesture incredibly charming, but given what she had seen from Jameson's personality, she expected him to make a big deal of it. Instead, he was scrolling through his phone as if nothing had happened.

" _Maybe it's just what people who grew up riding the subway do_ ," she thought.

But then she glanced around the car, and not one other person had made an effort to give up their seat. Just Jameson...

"This is us," he said, breaking her from her reverie.

"Us?"

Yet, before she had a chance to question him, he had exited the train. She leapt up and quickly followed after him.

"Are you following me?" she teased, nudging him with her shoulder when they were out of the station.

He threw his hands up in a show of innocence.

"I'm a man of my word. I'm just a guy trying to get home."

They walked on for a bit before Jameson broke the silence.

"So, you're a graduate student. Where and for what? No, let me guess. Let's see. Paris Chapman. Paris Chapman," he said, drumming his finger against his lip thoughtfully. "Got it! You're going to Cornell for Classics."

"How did you know?" Paris asked, wide-eyed.

"Wait, really?" Jameson replied in surprise.

"Fuck, no. I'm at NYU for Metropolitan Studies."

"No shit? I went to NYU. What does one do with a Master's in Metropolitan Studies, Miss Chapman?"

"There are a lot of problems in America's big cities right now, and I think I can do something about them."

"So, you're an activist?"

"I hope to be."

"That's noble of you," he said.

Paris glanced over at him expecting to see a mocking expression, but she only found candid interest.

"Did you really go to NYU?"

"Yes," he replied a little shortly.

"I didn't mean to imply that you didn't seem like the college type...It's not that you don't seem smart enough…I didn't mean…I was just-."

"Hey," he interjected, cutting off her rambling. "It's all good."

"What did you study?" she asked quickly, hoping to cut the awkwardness.

"Accounting. I do the books for Nicky's bar and a couple other small businesses in the neighborhood. I also trade stocks online in my spare time." He paused and his playful demeanor returned. "But between you and me, those jobs were really cutting into my sex appeal, so I keep the bar job to maintain a balance. Plus, it's good for traveling money."

"You travel a lot?"

"My mom and I do. We're sort of like travel junkies. In fact, we share an apartment because we're both gone so much. It just makes more sense, ya know, financially."

"And what does the mysterious Miss Vause do?"

"Gross. I don't think anyone has ever called her 'Miss Vause' in her entire fucking life. If you want to avoid her giving you hell, just call her Alex."

"Alex. Got it. And what does Alex do?" Paris asked as they approached a block of apartment buildings.

"She's an international importer. She moves priceless items - paintings, sculptures, rare cars, etc. - across borders for high-end clientele, and she's good at it. Like, really fucking good."

"Is that legal?"

"Most of the time," Jameson said casually.

As they approached the address number Nicky had written down, Paris turned to scold Jameson for walking her all the way home. However, before she could get a word out, a plump black woman came charging down the steps. Her arms were loaded down with what appeared to be protest signs, and she was headed straight for Jameson.

"How's it going, Taystee?" Jameson began warily.

"How's it going? How the hell do you think it's going? I've got to be in Brooklyn in half an hour for a march, and my son ain't nowhere to be seen. This motherfucker promised me he was going to help me with all these signs, but look! Do you see him anywhere? BECAUSE I SURE AS HELL DON'T!"

"If Darcy said he'd help, I'm sure he's-"

"Boy stays out all night drinking - WITH YOU - and leaves me to run around like I'm starring in _The_ goddamn _Help_ …" the woman trailed off, noticing Paris for the first time. "Who are you, white girl?"

"Paris. Paris Chapman," she replied, extending her hand politely.

Taystee looked at Jameson as if to ask, " _Is she serious?_ " He shrugged in response. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers.

"Hey, T! Paris, here, is an activist. Maybe she could help you out at your rally."

"You an activist?" Taystee asked.

"More or less," Paris responded.

"More? Or less?"

Paris looked to Jameson for support, but she only found him trying to hide his smirk.

"More. Definitely more," she said confidently.

"Fine. I _guess_ you can help if you want."

"Today's her first day in the city. She's staying with Nicky until she gets settled, so I'm sure she needs a while to put her things away and refresh. That cool?"

"No, I don't need a minute. I'll just drop my bag off and meet you back down here. Do you mind waiting?"

It would be good to have something to keep her busy. She could feel the homesickness lingering underneath the surface, and she knew it would be awhile before her mom could get away from work to come visit. The busier she was, the less time she would have to feel miserable.

"Make it quick," Taystee huffed.

Paris nodded and entered the building. She could feel Jameson on her heels, and she quickly turned on him. Again, he held his hands up.

"I've haven't broken my promise yet," he said.

They stepped into the elevator together, and Paris pushed the number 5 as Nicky had instructed her to do. Jameson didn't push another button, but she chose not to comment. She remained silent as she walked down the hall to #503. There, Jameson slid the bag off his shoulder and handed it back to her.

She watched as he walked a few doors down to #505 and unlocked the door. When he glanced over and saw her expression, he let out a loud laugh.

"Oh, did I forget to mention that Nicky's our neighbor?" he asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Paris couldn't decide on a retort, but thankfully, she didn't have to. Jameson was already walking back down the hall. He took the key from her hand, reached around her, and jimmied it back and forth in a seemingly practiced manner until it unlocked.

"It sticks," he explained in a husky voice.

Paris just nodded in response. She was a little overwhelmed by Jameson's proximity, and he seemed to catch on. With a final smile, he stepped back.

"So, I would warn you about Taystee, but you've already gotten the gist. Don't worry. She's really great and a lot of fun, but she always gets a little crazy when she's under pressure."

"Thanks for setting that up," Paris said.

"Sure thing, kid. I'll see you later," he said, retreating back to his door.

"Will you?"

"I hope. Darcy, her son, works at the bar with me. There's no chance Taystee doesn't come by after the rally to tear him a new one. It'd be cool if you tagged along."

Paris looked as if she was thinking about it. In reality, she already knew she would be at that bar as soon as she could be, but she didn't want to seem too eager.

"Come on. Where else will you get the best margarita in the city?" he challenged.

"Alright. Maybe I'll see you there later."

"It's a date! See you then."

With a wink, he entered his apartment, leaving Paris to get ready for the rally.


	4. Chapter 3

*****A/N: Hello again! I've got one more chapter after this one ready for publishing in the next day or so. After that, I'll be off holiday and back in LA, so my updates will probably be weekly moving forward. I would love to hear your thoughts on the story. And don't worry! Piper's coming to visit soon.*****

 **Jameson POV**

Jameson had barely entered his apartment when he heard someone hiss, "Shit," and saw the flash of a bare ass slip into his mother's room. The tan skin was enough to ease Jameson's mind. The ass hadn't belonged to his mother.

"I thought we agreed that community spaces where off limits," he called out, tossing his keys into the bowl by the door.

Without waiting for a reply, he shook his head and went directly into his bathroom to shower. Jameson was fortunate that neither he nor his mother were prudes. They were both very sexual people, and in sharing a living space, they had learned to deal with the occasional awkward run-in.

As he was dressing, he heard the slamming of the front door and chuckled to himself. Running a hand through his damp hair to ensure it kept its effortless look, he walked to the kitchen. As he was pulling a can of iced coffee and a slice of cold pizza from the refrigerator, his mother appeared from her room.

"I'd offer you a slice, but it looks like you've already eaten," he said, jutting his chin in the direction of the coffee table where a can of whipped cream was left abandoned.

Alex punched him playfully on the arm and said, "At least one of us is getting some."

"Hey! I get mine."

"Jamie," Alex began in a tone of mock disappointment, "I thought I raised you better than to believe that solo counted."

Jameson picked an olive off his pizza and chucked it at his mom.

"Anyway, isn't today a delivery day? Why are you home?"

"It's great to see you too, Mother. I treasure our time spent together," he replied sarcastically.

"Smartass."

Jameson laughed.

"Nicky's got this girl staying with her - the daughter of an old friend or something - but she was too hungover to deal with it today. I helped her get her stuff back here."

"A real Prince Charming."

"At your service," Jameson retorted before bowing melodramatically.

"She cute?"

"Like you wouldn't believe. Blonde, the bluest eyes I've ever seen, and legs for days."

Alex smirked.

"She's a little WASP-y, but you can tell she's dying to have fun."

The smirk vanished, and Alex got a far away look in her eyes. Jameson tossed his empty coffee can in the bin before waving his hand in front of his mom's face. Alex blinked a few times and seemed to come back into herself.

"You good?"

"Yeah, she just sounds like someone I knew once."

"Why don't you stop by the bar later tonight and meet her? Nicky was just complaining about how long it's been since you've been by."

"We'll see," Alex replied, settling into the couch with a book.

Jameson grabbed his keys from the bowl and gave his mother a playful salute before heading heading back to the bar.

 **[LATER THAT NIGHT]**

The bar was packed. There had been a baseball game and a concert in the city earlier that evening, and they had let out at roughly the same time.

"Yo, J! Pass me another bottle of the Captain," Darcy called.

Jameson and Darcy were moving around each other to fill orders in a perfectly synchronized rhythm. Jameson confidently flung the bottle behind his back, and Darcy caught it without fail, earning them a round of cheers from the patrons seated at the bar. Fortunately for them, Nicky was too busy trying to help with the orders to yell at them about risking her product.

When Jameson turned around to mix another drink, he felt a feminine pair of hands snake around his waist. Hoping that the owner was a certain blonde, he turned with his most charming grin. His face fell a little when he found that they belonged to Josie Caputo. She and a group of her friends had just arrived.

"I think you get better looking every time I see you," she whispered into Jameson's ear.

Jameson turned around in her arms.

"I think you're stoned," he said upon seeing the red in her caramel-colored eyes.

"We smoked up at the concert. So what?" she laughed.

"I hope you saved some for me," he replied.

Jameson and Josie had met at an NYU party about three years prior. They'd briefly tried dating but decided they were better as friends...with benefits. Every so often they would hook up if they were both single.

Josie released him and turned to her friends. Jameson waved a greeting to them. He enjoyed their company for the most part. However, there was one member of the group he could do without.

Finn Harper made his way to the front of the group, grabbed a napkin, and wiped down the barstool before sitting.

"Have you descended to drink with the commoners tonight, Harper?" Jameson asked with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Finn gave him a look that said, " _Very funny_."

"What can I get you?"

"Yeah, what do you guys want? It's on Finn tonight," Josie said with a laugh.

"Oh come on, Josie. Not again," Finn complained.

Jameson barely hid his smile as the group loaded up the guy's tab. When they walked away to get a table, Jameson turned to Finn.

"Just a Foster's," he mumbled moodily.

Jameson rolled his eyes. He knew the guy only drank Foster's because his father was Australian, and he never shut up about it. He also knew that he only got to see his father every other summer, and his stepfather was sort of a dweeb. Resisting the urge to push him further, Jameson slid the can toward him.

When Finn walked away without so much as a thank you, Jameson wished he would have given him a little bit of shit about Foster's being invented by two Irish brothers from New York. Instead, he took advantage of the lull in customers to clean his area.

"Check it out," Darcy said, jamming his thumb in Nicky's direction.

Jameson followed his gaze to find their boss starting slack-jawed at a short brunette that had just walked in.

"Your table, boss," Jameson called to the wild-haired woman.

"I can't go over there," Nicky replied.

"Why not?" Darcy asked, sharing a knowing grin with Jameson over their boss' head.

"She came in here last week, and I gave her my number."

"So?" Darcy shrugged.

"So, she called, you idiot."

" _I'm_ the idiot?"

"Isn't that usually what people expect when they give out their number?" Jameson added. "Look, she's a regular. I can mix up her usual Tom Collins, and you can take it to her on the house."

"Since when do you get to decide what's 'on the house?' Last time I checked, _I_ was the house."

Jameson had known his boss his entire life. She was just being difficult because she was nervous.

"Fine," he said, unfazed.

He reached into the tip jar, pulled out a $5 note, and handed it to Nicky.

"Then tell her the drink is on the stunningly handsome young bartender."

Nicky stared at the money for a beat before swatting his hand away.

"Just make the fuckin' drink, Vause."

Jameson and Darcy laughed. Jameson did as he was told, and the pair leaned on the bar to watch their boss in action. Darcy ran a running play-by-play like a sport commentator.

"In today's match we have Nichols versus…"

"Morello-Muccio. Lorna Morello-Muccio, or at least that's what her receipts always say."

"Fuck that. That's a mouthful. Nichols lines up for a shot against Morello."

They watched as the brunette invited Nicky to take a sit.

"Oh, and what a beautiful shot it was! That's 1-0, Nichols. This could be an interesting folks."

They shared another laugh before going back to work. It had slowed down significantly, but the regulars remained. Darcy seemed to handle them just fine, so Jameson put a fresh round of drinks on a tray and carried it over to Josie and her group. The Italian girl beamed and locked her arms around his waist.

"What are you doing when you get off?" she asked in a voice that was only loud enough for him to hear.

"I don't know yet," he replied.

"Wrong answer."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"So, what am I doing?"

"Me," she purred before pulling him into a deep kiss.

Jameson felt himself sinking into the embrace when the front door burst open.

"DARCY MUTHAFUCKA JEFFERSON!"

Jameson disengaged himself in time to see Taystee blow past him and Paris quickly avert her gaze. The look on the blonde's face confused him a little, but when he waved her over, she came.

"Is his middle name really Muthafucka?" Paris asked as she approached. "She's been calling him that all day."

"Might as well be," Jameson laughed.

Jameson felt Josie tighten her grip around his middle. He gave her a subtle warning look and disengaged himself. He knew the game she was playing, and he didn't want to be in the middle.

"Guys, this is Paris Chapman. Paris, this is Josie Caputo and-"

He was cut off by the sound of shattering glass.

"Josie can introduce everyone else," he said quickly.

He quickly made his way toward the bar where Darcy was just barely managing to dodge the items Taystee was throwing at him. However, he hadn't missed the way Finn perked up at Paris' arrival. The guy was practically drooling into his fake Australian beer over her, but Jameson didn't have time to deal with that right now.

He just managed to grab the bowl of pretzels from Taystee's hand and shuffle her and Darcy into Nicky's office where they could continue their "chat" away from the customer's.

Now, as the only bartender, Jameson could no longer hang out with Paris and the others. As he swept up the bits of broken glass, he couldn't help but notice how friendly Finn had gotten with Paris.

When he saw the other guy put a hand on the blonde's back and guide her toward the bar, he pretended to be busy rinsing glasses.

"Hey, Vause, let me get another Foster's and whatever the lady wants. Maybe a Cosmo?" he said, trying to guess Paris' drink.

Jameson scoffed under his breath.

"Sure, Ben," he said, purposefully getting the boy's name wrong. "Another Foster's and a margarita for you, right?"

Paris glanced sideways quickly at Finn once before nodding. When Jameson turned around to fill the order, he couldn't help but eavesdrop on the pair's conversation.

"So, you've really never been to Australia?" Finn asked.

"Nope."

"Oh, you've gotta go. It's incredible. I go every other summer to visit my dad."

"That sounds nice," Paris responded politely.

"Here you go," Jameson muttered as he handed them each their drinks.

"You can just add this to my tab, Vause." Finn winked at Paris. "My stepfather just published an article in the Times. Maybe you've heard of him. Larry Bloom?"

Paris shook her head and shrugged.

"And my mother's soap company is doing very well, so anything you want to night is on me."

Jameson kept his face impassive. If Paris was wooed by this Park Slope bullshit, maybe he was better off leaving her to Finn. Besides, this was Nicky's place of business. As long as Finn was a paying customer, Jameson would play nice.

"That's really sweet of you, Finn, but I actually came here to see Jameson. He invited me."

"Oh," Finn replied dejectedly. "Well, you can keep the margarita on my tab."

"Don't worry about it, Glenn. It's on the house," Jameson replied.

Finn shot him a dark look before returning to Josie's table.

"How was the rally?" Jameson asked, leaning over the bar. "Did you miss me?"

"I don't know if your girlfriend would appreciate my answer."

Jameson blinked in confusion before he finally caught on.

"Oh, Josie? No! I mean, once upon a time, yeah. But not anymore."

"It didn't look that way," Paris mumbled, toying with a piece of paper on the bar.

"You want the truth? We sleep together sometimes when we're both available. It's hasn't been anything more than sex in a long time," Jameson confessed.

"Good to know," Paris replied as the smile returned to her face.

A familiar figure in the doorway caught Jameson's eye. He nudged Paris' glass toward her.

"You better drink up."

"What's the rush?"

"You're about to meet my mom."


	5. Chapter 4

**NICKY POV**

Nicky saw Alex enter her bar, and she reluctantly excused herself from the beautiful Lorna Morello.

"Well, look what the pussy cat dragged in?"

"Do you just look for an excuse to insert the word 'pussy' in every conversation?"

"So, what if I do?"

Alex allowed her shorter friend to embrace her.

"What brings you all the way downtown, Lurch?"

Alex jutted her chin toward the bar.

"The kid has someone he wants me to meet. Since when do you play nanny for other people's kids, by the way?"

Nicky was too caught up in the banter to remember why Alex and Paris shouldn't meet.

"Fuck off. I'm not playing nanny. The kid's not really a kid, and she's just staying with me until she gets settled into her own place. I promised her mom I wouldn't let her get taken by the mob or get hooked on drugs or wind up in a women's prison upstate. You know, basic issues every New Yorker faces," Nicky listed sarcastically.

Alex shook her head with a smile and adjusted her glasses.

"Jamie said her mom was an old friend of yours. Do I know her?"

This seemed to snap Nicky back to reality.

"Look, uh, Vause-"

"Mom," Jameson called and waved the tall woman over to the bar.

Alex glided toward her son and the blonde without a backward glance.

"Shit," Nicky muttered to herself.

She ran a hand through her wild hair and hustled over to the group. Jameson, ever the hard-working little fuck, had already slid Alex a Dos Equis and was cracking open another for Nicky. It didn't look like they had gone through introductions yet, and Nicky needed to find a way to get Alex away from Paris or vice versa.

"So, how'd it go?" Jameson asked in a lowered voice while sending covert glances over to Lorna.

Nicky was too on edge with the current situation to worry about her love life in that moment.

"It was fine," she muttered.

"Just fine?" Alex added. "You must be losing your touch, Nichols."

"Hey, I'll have you know that I do just peachy for myself. Fuck you very much."

Jameson and Alex exchanged a pretend grave look.

"Should I be the one to tell her?" the kid asked.

"I think it should be me. I've known her longer," Alex responded.

"What? Tell me what?"

"It's just," Alex started, placing her hand on Nicky's shoulder, "we've noticed there haven't been as many walks of shame from your apartment lately. We're concerned."

Their teasing made Nicky forget once more about the social tightrope she was currently walking. She threw Alex's hand off her shoulder.

"Very funny! I've been busy, is all. Just you wait. I'm going to be getting so much action, Chapman here will have to invest in noise-cancelling headphones."

Before Nicky realized her slip-up, Alex choked on her sip of beer and went even paler than usual. Her emerald gaze zeroed in on Paris' face as if she was trying to recognize something in her features.

"Chapman?" she wheezed.

She looked at Nicky with a raised eyebrow.

"Is she-?"

It took all Nicky's courage to nod once. Jameson, completely unaware of Alex's history with the blonde's mother, mistook her reaction.

"Oh, shit, I completely forget to introduce you guys. Paris, this is my mom, Alex. Mom, this is Paris-"

"Chapman, yeah I got it."

"Fuuuuck," Nicky drawled under her breath.

Alex set her beer on the bar with a little more force than necessary and looked at her friend with a fierce expression.

"Can we talk somewhere more...not here?"

Nicky cringed and pointed to her office. The taller woman knocked into her as she brushed past. Nicky chugged the rest of her beer and looked between the very confused Jameson and Paris. Their sweet, beautiful faces, so much like their mothers'...Nicky would miss them when Alex killed her.

"Nichols!" Alex shouted from the office.

"I know you're not religious, but pray for me, J," Nicky whispered before entering her office and closing the door.

 **[ALEX'S POV]**

The dark-haired woman was pacing the length of the office like a caged lion. She was trying to recall the girl, Paris', features.

 _Did she look like_ _her_ _?_

As soon as Nicky closed the door behind her, Alex whirled on her.

"What the fuck, Nicky? I thought we were friends."

"We are," Nicky replied quietly.

"So, when were you going to tell me that my ex's daughter is chatting up my son and living two doors down from me? I mean, Jesus!"

"Vause, this is exactly how I pictured this conversation playing out every time. Is it so hard to imagine my hesitation? God, look at yourself right now. You're like...the goddamn She-Hulk or something."

Alex caught a glimpse of herself in the wall mirror behind Nicky's desk. As much as she hated to admit it, she did look a bit crazy. But then again, that's what Piper had always done to her.

Alex forced herself to take a deep breath.

"You still talk to her, then? Piper."

Nicky nodded. "I never stopped. You two really fucked each other up, but that didn't mean I was willing to let either of you go."

Alex clenched her jaw and looked away.

"How is she?"

"Nuh-uh. I'm not playing catch-up for you two. If you want to know how she's doing or what she's been up to or if she still loves you or whatever, you'll just have to speak to her like a civilized person instead of some gamma-ray experiment gone wrong."

Alex sighed and pushed her glasses on top of her head.

"Is she coming here?" she asked softly.

"I don't have a specific date yet but soon, yeah. She wants to help Blondie Jr. get settled before the fall semester."

"Does she know we're neighbors?"

"Well…"

"Jesus, Nicky!"

"Hey, Piper called and asked if I could look after her kid. I said I could. It was as simple as that. I didn't see any point in bringing you into it!"

Alex shook her head.

"Of all the people Jamie could be pursuing right now, he had to pick a Chapman."

"It's like I always said, 'Vause and Chapman are inevitable.'"

Alex glared at her friend and was surprised when Nicky grew serious.

"I know you and Piper...it didn't end so pretty. There's a lot of fucked up history here that Jamie and Paris know nothing about."

"Do you have a point?"

"All I'm saying is whatever happens between you and Piper moving forward, you can't take it out on J, and I definitely can't let you take it out on Paris while I'm responsible for her ass."

"Okay...?"

"Look, I don't give a shit how you do it, but when the time is right, you and Piper need to fill those kids in on the situation. In the meantime, however, let's just focus on making Blondie Jr. feel at home and keeping your son out of her pants and safely in the friendzone. Deal?"

Alex stared at Nicky's outstretched hand. She debated on walking away from her wild-haired friend, leaving the bar, and going on an extended holiday to somewhere tropical. Bali would be nice that time of year. Fuck, not Bali. Too many memories of a certain blonde.

In the end, Nicky was right. She and Piper had always been, and probably would always be, inevitable. She just needed to brace herself for the shit storm that was about to descend on her life.

With a final annoyed shake of her head, Alex shook Nicky's hand. Nicky leapt up and wrapped an elated arm around the taller woman's shoulders, but Alex promptly shook her off.

"Nope. We're not there yet."

Nicky held up her hands in understanding.

"It's cool. I get it. How shall we proceed, oh great leader?"

Alex gestured for Nicky to go ahead of her into the bar.

"I guess I better go make up for that fuck-up of a first impression."


	6. Chapter 5

*****A/N: I'm not super thrilled with myself this chapter. I'm fighting a cold and was distracted by the Golden Globes. Nevertheless, we're about two chapters (or one long chapter, depending on my motivation) away from Piper's arrival. *****

 **PARIS POV**

"I know I told you that my mom and Nicky were 'unique,'" Jameson said, using air quotes, "but this is weird even for them."

"Was it just me or did your mom seem angry?"

"I mean, it's not like she was ever going to win Miss Congeniality, but yeah. Something's up."

Paris held up her hand to silence him as the older women approached. She noticed that the raven-haired woman seemed much less dour than she had just moments before. In fact, she was wearing an apologetic smile.

Paris watched in confusion as Nicky held up four fingers to Jameson, who seemed to have no problem understanding his boss. He pulled a bottle of bourbon from beneath the bar and filled four shot glasses to the brim.

Alex took the liberty of passing them out, and she made sure to finish with Paris.

"I'm hoping you'll let me start over. I'm Alex," she said, handing the blonde the shot.

"Paris," the younger woman responded.

Alex smiled genuinely and lifted her shot glass. Paris followed suit and allowed the older woman to clink their glasses. They turned and repeated the action with Jameson and Nicky before they downed the amber liquid.

Paris sputtered once, trying to swallow, but she was not a dark liquor kind of girl. She coughed once more and the bourbon spewed from her mouth and onto the empty bar stool next to her. Nicky's mouth fell open.

"Did- did she just spit out my Pappy Van Winkle?" she asked in disbelief.

Paris looked around the room nervously. Alex was barely containing her laughter, and Jameson wore a sympathetic smile as he slid Paris a glass of water.

"That was $2,000 bourbon," he explained.

"Shit, I'm so sorry, Nicky," Paris exclaimed before trying to scoop the droplets back into the shot glass.

Alex's hand on her wrist stilled her.

"Don't worry about it. Jamie and I will get her another bottle for her birthday."

Paris nodded shyly.

"Relax, kid. Have another margarita," Alex said with a smile that seemed almost nostalgic.

Paris, Alex, and Nicky talked for hours, and Jameson would join them when he wasn't with customers. Despite their bumpy start, Paris had quickly grown fond of Alex. The older woman was charming and easy to talk to, just like her son. Paris was surprised by how many places around the world Alex had been. Even though most of her recent trips had been with Jameson, the ones she talked about during her 20's sounded thrilling.

Paris recalled that her mother had once dated an world-traveler named Alex. However, her mom only brought up the name when she'd had too much wine. Paris didn't know much, but from what she'd gathered, her mother's Alex had shattered her heart. If only her mom had met _this_ Alex instead.

She was shaken out of her thoughts by her phone buzzing on the bar.

 _Speak of the devil_ , she thought.

It was an incoming video call from her mom. Jameson was standing nearby on a lull from customers, Nicky had calmed down about the Pappy Van Whatever incident, and Alex was seated her right. It was the perfect time to introduce everyone.

"You guys, my mom is FaceTiming me. I want you all to say hi."

Paris tapped to accept the call and was greeted by her mom's megawatt smile.

"Hi, baby!"

"Hey, Mom!"

"How's the city? Is Nicky taking good care of you?"

"What do you take me for, Chapman?" Nicky called over Paris' shoulder. "Your kid couldn't be in better hands."

Piper rolled her eyes.

"It's all been great, Mom. Here, say hi to everyone."

Paris rotated her body so her mother could see her new group. To her surprise, she noticed that Alex was nowhere in the frame. Before she could look for the raven-haired woman, her mother leaned closer to the camera as if she were leaning in to whisper to Paris.

"Who's the hunk behind the bar?"

Paris tried to shush her mom, but Jameson had already overheard. He leapt over the bar and slung an arm around Paris.

"Heeeeey, Miss Chapman," he said wearing an insufferable smirk.

"Mom, this is Jameson. He's a bartender here at Nicky's."

"Don't undersell me, now. I'm _the_ bartender at Nicky's."

His smirk widened playfully, and Paris noticed her mom lean closer and squint as if trying to get a closer look at him.

"J, table in the corner is ready to order," Nicky interrupted.

Jameson nodded.

"It was great to see you," he said into the camera. "Looking forward to meeting you in person."

Paris settled back into the phone call with Nicky at her side.

"So, when are you coming to visit us, Chapman?"

"Actually, that's why I called. I have some good news, but I want to tell you in person. I'll be there at the end of the week when summer classes end."

"That's so great! Isn't that great, Nick?"

Nicky was shuffling between feet and nervously glancing toward the door to the backroom, but she appeared to snap herself out of it.

"Can't wait, Blondie. Listen, uh, I gotta check on something real quick. See you this weekend."

Paris shook her head and settled into her now-private conversation with her mom.

 **[NICKY POV]**

Nicky grabbed an empty crate on her way to the back room to give herself an excuse to disappear. She found Alex leaning on a stack of beer cases and scrolling through her phone.

"Too close, huh?" Nicky said.

"Tell me about it. She didn't see me, did she?"

Nicky shook her head and pulled a joint from her pocket and lit up. After taking a deep inhale, she passed it to Alex.

"Umm…" Alex said, pointing up at the No Smoking sign on the wall.

"You're kidding, right? I hung that fucking thing as a joke. You want a hit or not?"

Alex snatched the joint and took a long drag.

"Ya know, she's coming this weekend to visit Blondie Jr."

Alex coughed out the smoke she'd been holding in.

" _This_ weekend! I thought there'd be more time."

"You guys had over 20 fucking years, Vause. I'd say it's time to deal with it."

"Oh, like you're dealing with the Morello situation?" Alex retorted.

"Has anyone ever told you that projecting is unhealthy? This isn't about me and Morello. Anyway, I heard Chapman tell the kid she's going to get a hotel up the block from us, so at least you won't have to see her everyday if you don't want to."

"How am I going to get through seeing her again, Nick?"

Nicky smacked Alex's shoulder once in a show of support.

"You're Alex Vause. You'll figure it out." Nicky took her turn on the joint. "I mean, it's not like you really have a choice."

"You're really helpful."

"That's why you love me so much, right?"

"Keep telling yourself that."

Nicky laughed and handed the joint back to Alex.

"I gotta get back out there and make sure your kid didn't run off and leave my bar unattended. Feel free to take a case of whatever will prepare you for this showdown between you and Chapman. Consider it part of my apology for not telling you about Blondie Jr."

Alex flipped Nicky off.

"I love you too, Vause," she called as she re-entered the bar.


	7. Chapter 6

**[JAMESON POV]**

"It was last call two last calls ago, Frank" Jameson patiently explained to one of the regulars. "If you stay, you're only staying as long as it takes me to clean up. And the only thing you're getting is water."

The man slid off his stool and grumbled the whole way out the door. As he exited, Darcy entered.

"Didn't think I'd see you again until your funeral," Jameson joked.

"If she hadn't been worried about me losing my job, I don't think she'd have let me come back. Where's your girl?"

"She's not my girl."

"I'm not talking about Josie," Darcy retorted as he settled into his closing duties.

"That doesn't change my answer."

Darcy threw a bar rag at Jameson, but the taller boy caught it.

"Then you need to change your tactic if you wanna give her that, 'Love and sex and magic,'" Darcy sang while doing a Justin Timberlake-style dance move.

Jameson shook his head with a grin.

"I'm not sure I do. Sure, I like her, and she's...well, you've got eyes."

"I sure as hell do. So what's the problem?"

Jameson shrugged and began counting the tips from the night.

"There's no problem, but I just have this feeling that I shouldn't pursue her. I dunno, man. Don't make me try to explain it. Besides, she just got here. I don't think it'd be fair to start something with her until she's experienced the city for herself."

Grabbing one of the newly sorted stacks of cash, Jameson handed one to his friend.

"You know what else wouldn't be fair? Me trying to take half the tips when I bailed on you mid-shift."

"Don't make it a big deal," Jameson groaned, thrusting the money at Darcy. "If you don't take it I'm just going to use it to pay off part of Frank's alarmingly excessive tab."

Darcy snatched the money and shoved it into his pocket.

"Like Hell I'm going to pay for that guy's drinks."

Jameson's phone beeped, and he checked the text.

"You up for going out?"

"Who's asking?" Darcy replied.

"Josie's at a club with her friends."

His phone beeped again.

"And apparently Paris went with them."

"Oh we're going now," Darcy said. "Shift's over, Vause. We out!"

"Fine! But are we going like this?"

"What's wrong with the classic jeans and black t-shirt combo?"

"Do you want to be treated like a bartender there, too? Come on. I keep some stuff in Nicky's office for emergencies."

 **[Paris POV]**

Josie and her friends were quickly growing on Paris, especially since Finn had opted out of joining them at the club. The longer she hung out with them, the more she liked them. In fact, she, Josie, and the other girls were out on the dance floor in the traditional young adult female dance circle.

When the song ended, Josie fanned herself.

"Jesus, it's hot in here. I'm going for a drink. Anyone else?"

The group nodded and together they made their way over to the bar. When they all received their water bottles, Pepa Ruiz, one of Josie's oldest friends, whistled.

"Damn, girl," she said to Josie, "Vause just got here looking like a snack."

The girls turned to see Jameson enter the bar just ahead of Darcy. They were both still in jeans, but Jameson had changed into a dark teal v-neck and black Converse.

"A snack?" one of the other girls scoffed. "He's in here looking like the whole meal."

Paris watched silently as the guys spotted their group and made their way over.

"How many do we have to shoot to catch up, ladies?" Darcy asked.

"How many can you handle?" Pepa asked flirtatiously.

"Forget the drinks. How about a dance?"

And just like that, Darcy and Pepa were pulling each other toward the dance floor. Paris remained quiet as Jameson ordered two shots and a beer for himself and another round for the remaining group.

She felt her phone vibrate and clicked on the new message from Nicky.

[Aunt Nicky]: Hey, kid, wherever you ended up on your first night in the city just don't do anything I wouldn't do.

[Paris]: I feel like that list is very small. Anyway, I'm at a club with Josie and some of her friends. Jameson just got here.

The three dots appeared to indicate Nicky was typing. Then they disappeared. This happened three more times before the dots disappeared for good. Paris shrugged it off and slipped her phone back into her pocket.

"How's it been?" he asked in Paris' ear.

"A ton of fun, actually. Josie was sweet to invite me."

"Josie's alright," Jameson replied with an affectionate smile.

He offered her one of his shots and chuckled when she declined with a wrinkled nose. His phone beeped and he pulled it out of his back pocket. Paris wasn't trying to pry, but he was standing so close and her eyes just happened to drift to his phone screen.

[Bennett]: Still on for rugby this weekend?

[Lacey]: *image attached*

[Lacey]: HMU later.

And the latest one...

[Mom]: Hey, I need your help with something. Don't stay out too late.

Jameson typed out a reply to his mom and turned back to Paris with a knowing smile.

"Probably has an invoice she needs me to look over," he said to let her know that he'd seen her read his messages.

"Are you leaving?" she asked, barely masking the disappointment in her voice.

He shook his head.

"She'll be up when I get home. She keeps weird hours."

"Are you two just going to whisper to each other all night or are you going to ask her to dance already, Jamie?" Josie called, breaking them out of the bubble they always seemed to find.

Paris glanced up at Jameson and found a question in his eyes. She nodded once, and he took her by the hand and led her to the dance floor. Fortunately, the fast-paced remix of a Top 40s song and the brightly-colored strobes made the whole situation feel a little more platonic.

Jameson gripped her waist loosely and gave her a warm smile. It relaxed Paris enough to drape her arms loosely over his shoulders. She was pleasantly surprised to find that Jameson was a pretty good dancer. He made the next three songs incredibly fun, but when the third song ended, everything changed.

The colored strobes were replaced with pure white ones, and the DJ queued up an incredibly sexy version of Demi Lovato's "Ruin the Friendship." Paris chanced a look up at Jameson, and the atmosphere got incredibly thick. Paris felt his hands fall from her waist.

"You want another drink? I'm dying."

Paris nodded and followed him toward the bar. They rejoined the group, but before Jameson could order his drink, Josie was pulling him back to the dance floor.

"I know Josie says they're just friends, but she's never going to get over Jamie," one of the girls said.

"Would you?" the other asked. "Look at him! Name me two bad things about him."

"Lives with his mom and no facial hair."

"Okay, but he's got seemingly endless amounts of cash, and don't even get my started on that fucking smirk," the other girl retorted.

The first girl looked torn. Finally, she threw up her hands in surrender.

"Okay, fine! I'd let him have it."

Paris directed her attention back to the dance floor where Josie's back was pressed firmly against Jameson's front. The blonde watched as she swayed and pressed herself back into him. It didn't bother her, per se, but from the looks of it, Jameson would be going home with Josie. Darcy and Pepa had already left together, and Paris didn't really want to spend the rest of the night with the other girls.

She closed her tab at the bar and walked over to the dancing couple, placing a hand on Josie's arm.

"I'm going to head out," she shouted over the music.

"What? No, stay!" Josie pleaded.

"It's alright. I'm tired anyway. Have fun!"

Paris smiled at them both and walked out into the night air that, though still warm, was a refreshing change from inside the club. She was halfway to the subway station when she heard someone calling her name.

She turned and saw Jameson jogging toward her. She sighed, not wanting to argue with him about staying. However, when he slowed to a walk and came into view under the streetlight, his hands were tucked into his pockets and he was wearing an easy smile.

"You know, the apartment is within walking distance from here. You don't have to take the subway if you don't want to."

"Thanks but you didn't need to leave your friends for that. I would've gotten myself home."

"Oh, I didn't leave the club for you."

Paris shot him a questioning look as Jameson fell into step with her.

"When you said you were going home, I couldn't help but think of how good that sounded. Inventory days really kick my ass, and all I want to do is strip down and crawl into bed."

"Looks like you had a pretty good chance of that back there," Paris poked as they resumed their walk.

Jameson smirked as they continued their walk.

"Yeah, maybe. But I'm doing both her and myself a favor by calling it a night."

Paris looked at him in confusion.

"I'm exhausted, Paris. Even if I did stay and go home with her, the sex would've been terrible, and I have a reputation to uphold."

"Oh," Paris said, blushing.

Jameson let out a loud laugh. The conversation flowed easily between them as the strolled the rest of the way home. When the elevator dinged open, Jameson walked Paris to her door and lingered.

"Today was fun," he said.

"It was."

They stared at each other for a moment before Jameson began to lean down to kiss her cheek. However, they were interrupted suddenly when the doors to both 503 and 505 flung open as if on cue. Both Nicky and Alex leaned out their respective doors. Paris and Jameson looked between them in confusion.

"Oh, good," Nicky said breathlessly, "We stopped you. I mean, uh…"

"Stopped you from getting too comfortable," Alex finished. "Nicky and I were really craving ice cream, but we're both in our PJs. We were hoping to catch you guys and see if you could run down to the bodega to pick some up."

"Yeah," Nicky added lamely.

Jameson must have seen through their story because he rolled his eyes.

"I got it. Go ahead and get settled in," Jameson said to Paris.

"Yeah, kid, come in and get unpacked. I'm tired of tripping over your suitcase."

Paris waved to Jamie as he headed for the elevator.

"Hey, don't you want to know what flavors we want?" Nicky asked.

"I have a feeling it doesn't matter," Jameson called over his shoulder.

Paris heard Alex's laugh echo down the hallway just before Nicky shut their door.

 *****A/N: Next update will be Piper's arrival in the city. Stay tuned! Loving your reviews, guys. Thanks as always for reading. *****


	8. Chapter 7

**[PIPER'S POV]**

It had been a long time since Piper had been back in the city. As she drove down the FDR, her body was humming with excitement. She couldn't wait to see Paris and show her daughter all of her favorite spots around the city.

By the time she parked in front of Nicky's building, she was grinning from ear to ear. She bounded up the steps and was about to hit the buzzer when a tall, young man came bursting out the door and nearly ran into her.

"Oh shit! I'm sorry," he said.

"No problem." Piper did a double take. "Jameson, right?"

The dark-headed boy narrowed his emerald eyes at her briefly before a smirk appeared on his lips. There was something chillingly familiar about this young man she'd spoken to once over a video chat.

"Miss Chapman!" he exclaimed before hugging her briefly.

"Piper," she corrected.

"Paris and Nicky are waiting for you upstairs. I'm sorry that I can't stay. I promised Nicky I'd run the bar for her tonight so that she could be here for you."

"503, right?"

"Yup. Elevator's at the end of the hall. Do you need help with your bags really quick?"

"You're sweet but no. I'm staying at a hotel up the street. I'm just here to say hello before I check in. I may need your help with something else, but if you need to go, I can figure it out."

"I always leave here early, so I've got plenty of time. What'd you need?"

"Nicky mentioned that you need a fob to operate the elevator and to enter each floor, but she didn't leave one out here for me and she's not picking up her phone..."

"Say no more," he said. "Follow me."

Piper followed him into the building, and they rode up the elevator in silence. She couldn't help but sneak glances at Jameson, trying to determine where she knew him from.

"You didn't go to Quinnipiac, did you?" she asked.

"Nope. NYU. Is that where you teach?"

Piper nodded absentmindedly. When they reached the fifth floor, Jameson walked her to 503 and handed her his fob.

"You can use mine today. Just leave it under the rubber snake in the bush out front sometime before 3AM if you can."

He turned to leave but quickly spun back around.

"Oh and my mom and I live in 505, so if you need anything this weekend and Nicky and Paris aren't around, feel free to knock."

"You and your mom?"

The young man nodded.

"I'd introduce you, but she took off about an hour ago to deal with some work stuff. Speaking of which, I should get going."

"Sure. Well, it was great to meet you in person, Jameson. I'm sure this isn't the last we'll see of each other this weekend."

"Count on it," Jameson said with a playful smirk.

When the elevator doors had closed, Piper knocked on 503's door. A few seconds passed before she was greeted by her squealing daughter. The pair jumped into a tight embrace.

"Hey, Blondie 1 and Blondie 2, are we trying to air condition the whole building? Shut the fuckin' door," Nicky called from the couch.

Piper allowed Paris to drag her into the apartment.

"Hello to you, too, Nicky."

Nicky waved without looking up from her phone.

"She's just discovered Candy Crush," Paris explained.

Piper shrugged out of the wrap she'd been wearing in the car, wadded up the garment, and threw it at her old friend. The wrap billowed out across the wild-haired woman's face.

"Shit, Chapman. Now I gotta start over."

"Start over later. I'm here now!" she said excitedly. "I was promised fun and excitement."

Nicky groaned and rolled off the couch. She picked up the bottle of champagne that had been chilling in an ice bucket on the coffee table and crossed the room to hand it to Piper.

"There's your fun and excitement. The kid insisted. I say we pop it open and start drinking as soon as possible."

Piper winked at Paris before pulling Nicky into a tight hug despite the squirming woman's protests.

"Come on, Nicky. Admit it. You missed me."

"How can I miss you when I have to stare at your mirror image day and night?" Nicky joked, gesturing at Paris.

"Speaking of which," Piper said, remembering something, "I brought you a gift to say thanks."

"Presents?" Nicky replied, perking up.

" _A_ present. I left it in the car. I'll just run down and grab it."

Piper opened the apartment door and saw a pale, dark-headed figure moving down the hall in her peripheral.

"Shit," she heard a familiar husky voice mutter.

Piper's head whipped in the direction of the sound and just caught a glimpse of the figure slipping into an apartment two doors down. 505. Jameson's apartment. Jameson and his mother's apartment. Something clicked in Piper's mind and her mouth dropped open slightly.

 _It couldn't be._

Behind her, Nicky's phone pinged and she heard the other woman moving toward her quickly.

"Hey yo, Chapman, you're right. We should celebrate. The presents can wait. Let's crack this bubbly open. Right now! Huh? What'd you say?"

But Piper wasn't listening. She felt herself pulled toward the other apartment as if by a decades-old magnetic force. When she was standing in front of the door, however, she hesitated.

"What's going on?" she heard Paris asked Nicky down the hall.

She could feel their eyes on her as she raised her hand and knocked.

No answer.

Piper drew a deep breath and knocked again. She heard rustling on the other side of the door, but still, no one answered. She felt her jaw clenching, but before she could knock again, Nicky grabbed her arm and pulled her back toward 503.

"What'd you doing, Chapman? You haven't even been here 5 minutes, and you're harassing my neighbors? Now, I seem to recall the mention of presents." She pushed the blonde toward the elevator. "Go forth and don't return without your offering."

Piper allowed herself to be shoved onto the waiting lift. With a shake of her head, she pushed the button and rode down thinking she was losing her mind.

I _t couldn't have been_ _her_ _. There's just...no way._

She made her way back out to her car, opening the back door and climbing in to reach the gifts for Paris and Nicky. The raven-haired figure flashed in her peripheral again. This time, there was no mistake.

Piper watched from her car as Alex Vause climbed down the last rungs of the fire escape, pushed the ladder back up, and crept out of the alley. The woman looked both ways down the sidewalk before walking up the block and entering a corner grocery store.

Once again drawn as if by magnets, Piper abandoned the packages, locked her car, and strode toward the store.

 **[ALEX POV]**

" _Fuck, too close_ ," Alex thought as she mindlessly threw items into her cart.

Nicky had texted with the promise that she'd get Piper out of the building in an hour. She planned to take Piper and Paris to the bar, so Alex had the whole evening to decide how she was going to avoid the older blonde all weekend.

She ran a hand through her hair as she stood in the middle of the produce. To the outsider, she was just an odd woman staring too long and too hard at a neatly stacked bin of persimmons. In reality, she was thinking about how many airlines miles it would take to spend the weekend in Montreal. Canada seemed like a safe enough distance from the woman she'd once loved.

Alex could feel someone watching her, and she assumed she was blocking the way. However, when she reached for her cart, she came face to face with the one person she had just been plotting to avoid.

"Piper," the name tumbled from her mouth before she could stop it.

Age had barely touched the shorter woman, and Alex felt her eyes roaming up Piper's body until her gaze reached folded arms. She forced herself to look up into the guarded blue eyes.

"Alex," the shorter woman replied.

Her tone had been curt, but the sound of Alex's name coming out of Piper's mouth would always bring a smile to her lips. Even then she felt the traitorous muscles on one side of her face forming a smirk.

"How dare you?" Piper snapped. "You have the nerve to hide from me, to climb down the fucking fire escape to avoid me, and then stand her and grin like nothing ever happened?"

The smirk was gone as quickly as Piper's temper had arrived.

"Piper, I-"

"How long have you known I was coming? Does Paris know who you were to me? Does your son know who I was to you?"

Alex shifted between feet uncomfortably as Piper's voice continued to rise.

"Why the fuck didn't Nicky tell me you were her neighbor? How is this even possible?"

"Pipes," Alex tried again, "You're kind of causing a scene."

"I know that I'm causing a scene!" Piper shouted even louder. "You think I want to be here in this grocery store with you acting like a crazy person? I never wanted to see you again, but here we are, Alex. So, what are we going to do about it?"

"We could start by getting the fuck out of here before they throw us out," Alex said, spying the manager moving toward them.

Without thinking, she grabbed Piper's hand and pulled the blonde out of the store. She could feel Piper attempting to tug her hand away, but Alex held tight. In fact, she didn't let go until they were in front of a coffee shop a few blocks away.

"What do you say?" Alex asked, jutting her chin up at the shop's sign.

"You want me to _get coffee with you_?" Piper asked in disbelief. "Are you serious, Alex?"

Alex shrugged and adjusted her glasses. She waited while Piper sized her up with narrowed eyes. Maybe it was Alex's imagination, but the raven-haired woman thought she detected a hint of longing behind the iciness of Piper's gaze.

"Fine," the shorter woman begrudged after a moment.

"Yeah?"

"One cup," Piper snapped, holding up her index finger. "Now, let's fucking go before I realize what a bad idea this is."

Alex gestured for the other woman to lead the way, and despite her nerves and the anger she still held toward the blonde, she couldn't fight the small smile at the prospect of sitting across from Piper Chapman again.


	9. Chapter 8

**[NICKY POV]**

Nicky paced nervously around the living room.

"Is it just me or is she taking her time?"

"Calm down, Nicky. You'll get your present one way or another. Jesus," Paris laughed.

Nicky crossed to the window and glanced down. Piper wasn't by her car. In fact, the blonde was nowhere in sight.

 _Had she seen Vause sneaking out of the alley? Surely, not._

Who was she kidding? Piper and Alex had military-grade tracking abilities when it came to each other. They were likely standing face-to-face at that very minute. Well, no matter how it went, her friends would finally have to fill in their offspring. She grabbed her phone and began typing out a message to Jameson.

[Nicky]: Vause, call Darcy. He's going to run the bar tonight. Have him bring in one of the backup guys to help him. You gotta come back here ASAP.

[Jameson]: Everything OK?

[Nicky]: Too soon to tell. Just fucking get here.

[Jameson]: Omw.

Nicky ran her hands through her unruly hair and lit a blunt that had been sitting on the kitchen island. With the joint dangling from her lips, she pulled some cash from her messenger bag and thrust it at Paris.

"I don't know how much time we have, so do me a favor and skip that thing you Chapmans do where you ask a bunch of questions. Go down to the bodega and buy as much alcohol as this will get us. We're going to need it."

"Why?"

"Chapman!"

"Fine," Paris exclaimed, holding up her hands. "Are you dealing with menses madness?"

Nicky sighed and shoved Paris out the door.

"Go and never fucking say 'menses' again in my presence, got it?"

 **[ALEX POV]**

Alex couldn't stop herself from glancing over her shoulder as she waited in line. Every time she looked, Piper was still waiting at the table in the corner, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the blonde could bolt at any moment.

She ordered quickly, moved aside, and tapped her foot nervously until the barista was giving her a dirty look.

Finally, FINALLY, they called her order, allowing her to return to the blonde.

"I got you a lemonade. It's made with the pink sweetener, not the blue. I remember how you like it," Alex began.

"I'm off artificial sweeteners," Piper said shortly.

Alex had been prepared for this.

"So we'll swap. I'll take the lemonade and you can have the tea. It's just Earl Grey with some honey."

Alex had always hated honey. Something about the consistency freaked her out, but she knew Piper loved it in hot tea. She also knew that she was walking a dangerous tightrope. Piper would try to ice her out and walk away the first chance she got, and Alex wasn't going to allow it to happen over a drink order. That was why she had purchased two drinks she knew the blonde loved and first offered Piper the one she herself could tolerate, knowing Piper would reject the first option.

"Thanks," the blonde said in a slightly softer tone, accepting the tea.

"I didn't mean for this to happen. The fire escape was a pussy move. I've known for a few days. No. Hell no. Who knows? And fate has always loved fucking us."

Piper stared in confusion, her cup frozen halfway to her lips.

"The answers to your barrage of questions earlier," Alex explained as if it was obvious.

Piper's eyes moved across Alex's face as if she was trying to read the truth.

"You've known for three days that I was coming. You could've gone out of town, but you didn't. Then you tried to hide from me?"

"I didn't have enough time to plan anything. Work's been busy."

Piper's eyes iced over again.

"Are you still-?"

"No, Piper, I'm not," Alex snapped. "I told you then it was a one-time thing, and I meant it."

"One time too many," Piper grumbled.

"If you had just trusted me…"

"Trusted you? Alex, you were going to commit a felony and you didn't give a shit what getting caught would mean for you. What it would mean for me."

Alex sighed and pushed her glasses atop her head in irritation. Both women focused on their drinks as they contemplated their next moves. Alex watched Piper's slim fingers drum the side of the paper cup, and she had to fold her under the table to resist reaching out for them.

This was exactly the direction Alex wanted to avoid. She wanted to apologize for the things they had said to one another and for the way they had ended, but she did not want to feel things for the blonde again.

 **[FLASHBACK TO PARIS - ALEX POV]**

Alex paced nervously outside the restaurant. Her girlfriend would be there any minute for their anniversary dinner, and Alex wanted to make the evening special.

The trip had originally been for work. An old client had flown Alex over to personally thank the raven-haired woman for her help moving his private antique car collection. Alex had seen the opportunity to bring Piper and make the trip something special.

They had, in fact, been talking a lot about marriage and a family lately. Piper seemed to want to continue that conversation even while they were on vacation. In order to combat the feelings of panic at the thought of nesting, Alex had sought refuge in work.

She took on small jobs throughout the week, and she knew she had been bad company. She could tell Piper was frustrated, but the meeting Alex had taken earlier that day could be the way for her to make it up to the woman she loved.

"Hey."

Alex turned at the sound of her girlfriend's breathy voice.

"Hey yourself."

She pulled the blonde against her body and kissed her greedily. She could feel Piper smile into their kiss.

"We don't have to do a fancy dinner tonight, you know?" Piper murmured against her lips. "We could go back to the hotel and find something _better_ to eat instead."

Alex groaned. There was nothing she wanted more, but this conversation couldn't wait.

"Pierre pulled a lot of strings to get us reservations here. We should at least have one course."

"Fine. One course, but you owe me," Piper said suggestively.

Alex smirked and led her girlfriend into the restaurant. They were seated immediately at a table in a private corner of the venue.

The sommelier brought over an expensive, delicious red, and Alex asked him to leave the bottle once he'd filled their glasses. She drained her first one fairly quickly and wasted no time topping off.

"Everything okay? You're acting weird."

" _Now or never_ ," Alex thought.

"You know I love you, right?" Alex began.

"I love you, too, Al," Piper said as that face-splitting smile spread across her cheeks.

"No, Pipes, I love you more than I've ever loved anyone. You're it for me. I've never been the wife and two kids type of person, but if that's what you want - if it's something we can do together - then I'm in."

Piper listened with wide eyes.

"I've been doing a lot of research lately, and artificial insemination isn't cheap, especially if it doesn't work the first time. That's why I've been taking extra jobs while we're here. Still, it's not going to be enough."

The conversation paused as the waiter approached to take their order. Alex waited until they were alone again to continue.

"I took a meeting today. For a different kind of job. One that would more than pay for a wedding, however many kids you want, and any lifestyle you could dream of."

"What kind of a job?" Piper asked cautiously.

Alex took another sip of her wine.

"You gotta hear me out until the end. Promise?"

"What kind of job, Al?"

"It would just be a one-time thing, and the pay is like nothing I've ever seen before-"

"Alex!"

"Alright, alright. It's with an international drug cartel. Pierre introduced me to this guy called Fahri while you were sleeping this afternoon. All I would have to do is make sure a shipment of heroine makes it to Brussels from here and then we're set."

"Are you fucking kidding me right now?" Piper hissed quietly. "Absolutely not. You could go to prison if you get caught."

"So I won't get caught," Alex responded nonchalantly.

"I can't believe you," the blonde said, standing up.

"Pipes, wait."

"I just need to be away from you to think for a minute."

Alex didn't want to make a scene, so she allowed Piper to walk away. The raven-haired woman finished her meal, took a long stroll around the park, and decided what she had to do.

When she returned to the room, she found Piper asleep on their bed. She was still in her evening gown, and her makeup was streaked as she'd obviously been crying. Alex moved quietly around the room for a few moments before sitting carefully on the edge of the bed. She steeled herself as she watched the other woman sleep for a few moments.

"Pipes," Alex whispered as she shook her girlfriend's shoulders.

"Hmm?" Piper's blue eyes fluttered open. "Al? I'm sorry for walking out on dinner and-"

"I think we should break up."

Piper was now fully awake.

"What did you say?"

"I haven't been making you happy lately, and I can't give you what you want right now," Alex pressed on. "I think we should quit while we're ahead."

Piper blinked, speechless with shock. Alex stood and grabbed the suitcase she packed moments before.

"Don't worry about the room. You should enjoy the rest of your time in Paris."

"Where are you going?" Piper asked in a panicked tone.

Alex didn't answer. She simply walked out the door and forced her feet to keep moving forward even as she heard Piper calling her name through broken sobs.

 **[PRESENT - PIPER POV]**

"Do you have any idea how badly you hurt me?" Piper asked.

Alex looked shattered by her question, but Piper wasn't going to spare her feelings. Alex owed her an explanation at the very least.

"I wish I could make you understand."

"Try," Piper spat back.

Alex shook her head. "It's complicated."

"You brought me here, Alex. Fucking start talking."

"When I left that night, I went back to Fahri. I told him I wanted the job. The shipment went well, perfectly actually, and the money came in a few days after that. And it was good money. I thought if I took one more job, we could be set for life. Anyway, while I was on that job, I made a lot of connections. Apparently, drug dealers have a ton of money to buy useless shit they need moved around. So, the first job led to another job moving a tiger for Fahri's cousin. That job led to another. And then another. The money just kept growing. It was a year before I finally found a lull in work, and I immediately flew back here to the city to find you. Obviously, you'd moved out of our place, but Nicky told me where I could find you. I drove all the way to Connecticut that day, thinking that I could just apologize and you'd come back home. But when I got to the address Nicky had given me, I saw you leave with this Jason Biggs-looking asshat. The worst part was that you looked so happy. I hadn't made you smile like that in a long time. No way I was willing to fuck that up. So, I drove home, drank for a few weeks, and put my heart back together."

" _Your_ heart. You're the one who left me, remember?"

"I had to leave. For you."

Piper's eyes flashed dangerously with anger, and she leaned forward to whisper harshly.

"You left _for_ me? Are you fucking kidding me?"

"This isn't a joke," Alex said resolutely. "We needed that money, Pipes. I wanted to give you the best life, but I wouldn't have been able to do it without that job. I thought about the risks and knew you couldn't be involved. I broke up with you to keep you safe in case I got caught. I figured if I wasn't in prison after it was all over, I could find you and we could make up."

Piper sat back in her chair to digest the information. She had never seen Alex look so anxious as she did right now, and she had to admit she was enjoying it. However, if everything Alex said was true, she had even more questions.

"You should have told me all this. You should have talked to me instead of walking away."

Alex's jaw clenched.

"I did what I had to do."

"And how well did that work out for you?"

Alex cocked an eyebrow defensively.

"It would've worked out perfectly if you hadn't gone and fallen in love with someone else. I _sincerely_ hope that curly-headed fuck isn't your baby daddy."

"Larry isn't Paris' father, as if that was any of your business."

"Oh good, so there were others? Color me comforted."

"You don't get to get to be angry here. _I'm_ the one who got dumped on an anniversary trip in a foreign country so the love of my life could go play drug dealer. We didn't need the money, Alex. I would've been happy with any life that included you."

Alex appeared taken aback. Both women fell silent and let their gazes wander around the coffee shop.

"Did you mean that?" Alex asked finally.

Piper could see the vulnerability on the other woman's beautiful face, even beneath her impassive expression. The blonde couldn't seem to form the word, so she simply shook her head in affirmation. They met each other's gazes and simply stared for the first time in such a long time.

There was still a lot of anger and mistrust between the two, but maybe they could learn to tolerate each other again. Before the silence between them could become uncomfortable, their phones beeped.

"Nichols," Alex informed.

"Group message from Nicky," Piper said at the same time. "You're the other number here, then?"

Alex nodded, causing Piper to make a mental note to say the number in her contacts later.

[Nicky]: If you one of you hasn't already killed the other, please get your asses back to the apartment and explain this Twilight Zone of a situation to your respective bastards. If one of you happens to be dead, the remaining lesbian gets the honors of explaining to both bastards.

"Are you okay to talk about this with them?" Alex asked. "I can tell Nicky to fuck off."

"It's fine, but when we do this, I want to talk to Paris separately. I just think that would be best."

"Sure, yeah," Alex agreed a little too casually.

Before she could stop herself, Piper threw the raven-haired woman a lifeline.

"But when I'm done telling her our story, maybe we could field questions together?"

"Whatever you want, Pipes," Alex replied sincerely.

Piper allowed herself to smile briefly at Alex before they walked back to the apartment building together.


	10. Chapter 9

**[JAMESON POV]**

Jameson wasn't one to get stressed out. Nothing ever phased him, but the atmosphere in the apartment was definitely starting to get to him. Nicky was cross-faded beyond belief. When he'd gotten to her place, he'd had to wrestle a half-empty bottle of Irish whiskey out of her hand as she paced through the place. He'd also taken the fresh joint she was about to light up and stuffed it in his pocket.

Paris, too, had obviously been drinking. However, where Nicky seemed to be trashing herself out of anxiety, Paris had just been drinking for fun. Jameson wrangled Nicky into the armchair and settled Paris on the couch before he got them both large glasses of water. The young man was about to fix himself a drink to relax when his mother and Piper entered.

"Pour me one while you're at it," Alex said before looking at Piper questioningly.

The other woman nodded curtly, and Alex held up two fingers. Jameson nodded and wasted no time fixing the drinks. He carried them over to the living room, and after passing them out, he sat on the couch next to Paris.

As a bartender, Jameson had learned to read a room and assess people. Better conversation made for better tips, after all. He used his ability in that moment to gauge the women around him.

Piper and his mother were seated on opposite sides of the room, clearing having a conversation with their eyes. Neither seemed willing to speak first. Nicky was watching them with an expression one would wear while watching her favorite horror film. Paris was noticeably more sober and yawning. She didn't seem to have picked up on the weird energy around them.

Jameson continued to appraise the situation, thinking back over the events of the past couple days. Finally, he swallowed the entirety of his whiskey glass and sat forward.

"So, how do you two know each other?"

He watched as all eyes on the room snapped to him, but he only met his mother's gaze. She looked anxious, and it unnerved him. He had never seen his cool, collected mother act this way. Piper looked distressed, too, as she kept glancing nervously at Paris.

"Nicky, I think Darcy could use your help opening," Jameson said, understanding their hesitation.

Nicky nodded dramatically and stood.

"Yeah. He, uh, just text me."

"Your phone's on the counter," Paris slurred, pointing over her shoulder.

"Right. Well, you know I got a sixth sense for that kind of stuff. Better get over there." She paused in the doorway. "Listen, Blondie Jr., if you're mom's up to it later, bring her by the bar. She still needs to see the place. "

After Nicky had slipped out the front door, Jameson turned back to the room.

"Better?" he asked.

"Actually, I was hoping to talk to Paris alone," Piper responded.

"Yeah, kid, we should head down the hall," Alex added, standing quickly.

Jameson followed his mother to their apartment after waving goodbye to Paris. When the door closed behind them, they moved toward into the kitchen. Jameson settled onto a barstool, and Alex cracked open two beers from the fridge before taking a seat next to him.

"How long did you two date?" Jameson asked, causing Alex to choke on her beer.

"You knew?"

"I had no idea until I saw you in a room together. That level of awkward can only be achieved by running into an ex, and an important one at that."

"She was. Important, that is."

Jameson sipped his beer and waited for his mother to continue. Neither she nor Nicky had had the guts to simply tell him the truth. If they had, maybe he wouldn't have started to feel things for Paris. He felt himself grow a little irritated, but he decided to hear his mother out.

"Piper and I met here in the city when we were about your age. I saw her in a bar and thought she was cute. I didn't plan on it going past that night, but it was different. _She_ was different. I didn't want her to go in the morning."

Jameson felt his irritation melt away. He had never heard his mom speak like this about any of her girlfriends.

"We were great together for a few years. I mean, _really_ great. She was everything I wanted. But then she started to want more. Marriage, kids, the works."

"And you weren't ready?" Jameson asked.

"That didn't matter. I just wanted Piper. If she wanted all that stuff, I was going to find a way to give it to her."

Jameson shook his head, trying to understand.

"I don't get it. From what it sounds like, you two should be married and I should be calling her Mom right now."

"Yeah, well, I fucked up," Alex said, shifting on her stool. "I made a move that I thought was best for us, and it backfired."

"What, like you waited too long to propose?"

"Remember I told you about the few years I spent working in Europe?"

Jameson nodded.

"The reason I got all those jobs was because I arranged a shipment of heroin once for an international drug cartel."

Jameson's face remained blank for a moment before he burst out in laughter.

"Yeah, right."

"It's not a joke, Jamie. I was going to use the money to start the life that Piper wanted, but I didn't want her involved."

Jameson listened patiently as his mother finished her story. He could feel her watching him as he toyed with the label on his beer bottle. Finally, he met her gaze.

"You were right. You did fuck up. You should've stayed and talked it through with Piper. Instead, you decided to run off and act like a horse's ass."

Alex fiddled with her glasses, and Jameson forced himself to calm down.

"It all seems so…stupid. You could've been happy, Mom."

"What makes you think I'm not happy?"

"Sexually satisfied isn't the same thing."

"It is in my book," Alex laughed.

"You're a pain in the ass, you know it?" Jameson said, shoving her shoulder. His smile faded a little. "Seriously, though, how did you get over a love like that?"

"I don't know. Maybe I never did. All I know is that when I saw she'd moved on, I wasn't going to fucking wallow around forever. It hurt, but I came back to the city to rebuild my life. I used some of the money to buy this place and to have you," Alex explained.

Something clicked in Jameson's mind then.

"Wait, so you're telling me that I exist because you ran heroin internationally? I'm a drug baby?!" he asked.

His mother watched him carefully, waiting for an explosion of anger that would never come. Instead, Jameson burst out in laughter.

"That's fucking perfect," he said, catching his breath. "I should get a business card that says, ' _Jameson Vause. Forged by Heroin and Whiskey._ ' Or better yet, that can be my next tattoo."

Alex visibly relaxed, and the smirk returned to her face.

"I wouldn't recommend it."

"Oh, I'm supposed to take advice from a drug dealer now?" Jameson joked.

"I never dealt. Let's clear that up right now."

Jameson threw his hands up in defense, and they shared another laughed.

"You know what this means, right?" Jameson said through his laughter.

Alex waited with a grin.

"We have to take them to dinner. It sounds like Piper didn't get to eat the last time you two went out, so she's owed a meal. Come on," he said, standing.

Alex grabbed his upper arm, her fingers wrapping around the intricate pirate galleon tattooed there.

"We should give them a minute."

Jameson understood. He and his mother had always been close and communicated easily. As much as he liked Paris, he didn't know her well enough to guess how the conversation down the hall was playing out.

Slipping out of his mother's grip, he went back to the fridge and grabbed two more beers. On his way, he made a call. One of his friends was a maitre d' at one of the hottest new restaurants on the Lower East Side.

By the time he returned to his seat, he had a reservation for five for the following evening. But Jameson wasn't stupid. He'd also promised his friend a weekend of free drinks at the bar - which he would cover - if the group didn't turn up for the reservation.

He filled his mother in, but Alex had grown uncharacteristically anxious again.

"Ma, I've seen you with a hundred different women. I've seen you in your favorite countries in the world. None of it makes you light up like she does." Jameson slid one of the beers toward his mom. "We'll make this work."

Alex nodded, half-convinced.

"What do you think she's saying about me over there?" she asked her son.

 **[PARIS POV]**

As the effects of imbibing a large amount of alcohol in a short period of time wore off, Paris began to grasp the gravity of the situation around her. Her mother was currently in the bathroom, and she silently thanked Jameson for getting her the water earlier.

"Mom," she called. "Is everything okay?"

Moments later, Piper returned to the living room wearing an obviously fake smile. Paris knew that look. It was one her mother put on every time the older woman tried to protect her from something.

"Have you been showering in there? Nicky really needs to have someone come out and give it a professional cleaning."

"I know that face. This isn't about soap scum," Paris retorted.

"Just another kind of scum," Piper mumbled, avoiding eye contact.

"What was that?" Paris asked. "Are you talking about Alex? I don't really see how you can decide someone's scum after knowing them for only...what, an hour?"

Piper settled into the couch next to her daughter. Paris could sense the oncoming barrage of information that was typical when her mother was dealing with emotional chaos. She braced herself.

"Here's the thing, I've known Alex for a lot longer than an hour. We...we kind of dated before you were born."

"You _kind of_ dated? As in, you went to dinner a couple times and it didn't work out?"

"More like, we lived together, traveled the world together, and planned to spend the rest of our lives together," Piper admitted nervously.

Realization struck Paris like a lightning bolt.

"Alex Vause is _your_ Alex? The one that broke your heart?"

Piper nodded, obviously holding back tears. This was not something for which Paris had been prepared. She had grown to like Alex so much, but if this was true...

She needed to know the full story.

"What happened?"

Piper drew a steadying breath, and Paris listened as her mother recounted the most painful night of her life. It was something she hadn't spoken about to anyone else before. Not even to Paris' father, a man whom Piper had dated on and off again before Paris' birth but to whom she had never fully committed.

"...and I just kept hoping she would come back or chase after me when things cooled down, but she never did. I mean, I guess she drove up to Connecticut once, but I was with Larry at the time. I really thought she was it for me..."

Piper trailed off, fixing her gaze out the window.

"I don't believe it," Paris said when her mother had finished.

"I know. It's like something off a Netflix drama," Piper said, wiping a tear off her cheek.

"No," Paris retorted, "I don't believe you were so dumb. For a fucking college professor, you can be kind of an idiot."

Paris ignored her mother's lock of shock and continued, standing up to pace the room.

"Don't you get it? You were it for her, too! She risked prison time to give you the life you wanted. She would've made you so happy, Mom, but your pride got in the way again and you just had to jump into a rebound relationship. I've seen it my entire life, but it all makes sense now. Was everyone else just a way to forget her?"

"It's more complicated than that," Piper defended.

"It's really not. Now, how are we going to fix this?" Paris asked with her hands on her hips.

"'We'?" Piper asked, a smile growing on her face.

"You bet your ass 'we.' I'm giving up a shot with her hot son, so you better fucking make this work."

"He is pretty good-looking," Piper admitted.

Paris closed her eyes and shook her head as if disgusted.

"No. Don't. It's too weird now."

Piper laughed and Paris allowed herself a small smile.

"So, how are we going to fix this?" Paris asked again.

"Sweetie, I'm not sure it's as simple as-."

She was cut off by Paris holding up her hand.

"If you won't make the decision, I will. Up!" Paris commanded, pulling her mother to her feet. "We can start by asking them to come to the bar with us later. You met in a bar, right? Time to get nostalgic."

Paris dragged her mother down to 505 and knocked on the door. Thankfully, it was Jameson who answered. Paris didn't miss how his green eyes flitted briefly over to Piper with an apologetic look.

When Alex appeared in the doorway behind her son, Paris couldn't help but give her the same look.

Neither of the older women appeared as if they were going to speak, so Paris took charge.

"Do you want to come to the bar with us later this evening?" Paris asked.

"We'd like to invite you to dinner tomorrow night," Jameson said at the same time.

"Dinner?" Piper asked.

"To the bar?" Alex said at the same time, creating a mirror scenario to the one that had just played out between their children.

Jameson glanced sideways at his mother, clearly giving her the reins to make the decision. Paris decided to do the same. There were several seconds of hevy silence.

"Dinner sounds nice. What time and where?" Piper asked quietly.

"We can talk more about it tonight at the bar," Alex responded with small smile.

Jameson and Paris exchanged a conspiratorial grin. They let the moment between the two women hang for a second longer before Paris spoke again.

"We'll meet you downstairs for a cab at 7."


	11. Update Coming Today!

*****A/N: Sorry for being a tease! You'll have one (maybe two) new chapters today. After a Guest reviewer told me this story had anti-feminist undertones, I needed to take a step back and find my fire for this project again. I don't agree, but it got me thinking. Thanks to that person for giving me time for self-reflection. More importantly, it's fellowship season here in LA, and I've been on the hustle to get my scripts done. Wish me luck and I look forward to your thoughts on TODAY'S COMING CHAPTERS!*****


	12. Chapter 10

*****A/N: I only had time for one chapter today, but I hope it doesn't disappoint. However, I should have the next one for you within a couple days. Thanks for reading and reviewing. You're all the best!*****

 **[ALEX POV]**

"How do I look?" Jameson asked, stepping out of his room.

"Fine," Alex mumbled.

"You didn't even look! Seriously, I pulled out my best shirt for this."

Alex rolled her eyes and gave her son a harsh look. She was met with the sight of him wearing an old band t-shirt - hardly his nicest - and a barely contained smirk. She knew he was fucking with her, and she was already on edge.

She looked away as the smirk faded from his face.

"Okay, maybe I don't look like anything special, but you're runway-ready," he said.

"It's not too much? I fucking hate these heels."

"So where something more comfortable," Jameson shrugged. "Whatever you pick is going to look fine."

"I don't want to look _fine_. I want to look fucking incredible."

Alex hated how insecure she sounded. This wasn't her. She didn't care what anyone though. Then again, Piper had always been the exception.

Jameson sighed and told her he would meet her downstairs whenever she was ready. Alex sometimes hated how intuitive her son was. He knew she wanted to argue to give her a way to direct her nervous energy, but he wasn't playing into it.

Alex headed back to her room. One more outfit change. That was all she was giving herself.

 **[PIPER POV]**

Piper's shower had helped distract her nerves for a time, but now as she stood in front of the mirror applying her makeup, they returned with a vengeance.

She considered locking herself in her hotel bathroom and refusing to come out, but she knew she couldn't refuse her daughter's pleading on the other side of the door.

"Bow chicka wow wow! Mom, you look great!"

Piper checked her reflection in the mirror once more. She'd elected to wear a simple floral print dress that fell just above her knees. She slipped her feet into some wedge sandals and shook her hair so that it settled casually atop her bare shoulders.

"You think it's okay for the bar?"

"I'd be worried if it was white, but the patterns should hide whatever you inevitably sit in."

Piper's nose scrunched up in disgust, causing Paris to laugh.

"I'm just kidding. We should get going, though. It's almost 7."

Piper couldn't make her feet move on their own accord, but she allowed her daughter to pull her out of the room.

Before she knew it, she and Paris were climbing out of a cab in front of the apartment building. Piper spotted Jameson's tall figure leaning against the railing of the stoop. She also saw him snub out a joint and quickly fan the air around him.

"Hey, right on time," he greeted them warmly.

"Where's your mom?" Paris asked.

As if on cue, Piper's eyes were drawn to another tall figure exiting the building. She fought to keep her face composed as her gaze roamed down Alex's fit frame. The raven-haired woman was wearing the black skinny jeans like a second skin, and the plunging black v-neck made Piper bite her lower lip.

When she dragged her eyes up to meet Alex's gaze, she knew she'd been caught staring. There was a hint of a smirk on the other woman's lips, and it riled Piper.

"Did someone call a cab?" she snapped.

"Our Uber driver is just around the corner," Jameson replied, checking his phone.

Piper nodded and focused her attention on her own phone screen. She was going to make sure she didn't get caught checking Alex out again.

 **[ALEX POV]**

Alex and Piper choose to sit on either side of Jameson in the back seat while Paris had climbed up front. The car ride had been mostly silent with the exception of Jameson and Paris' debate about New England clam chowder vs. Manhattan clam chowder.

Her son gestured wildly as he advocated that tomatoes were the deciding factor and Manhattan was unquestionably the superior soup. Alex wasn't really paying attention, but Jameson's movements allowed her to discreetly glance at Piper.

She had barely been able to maintain her composure when she'd gotten her first glimpse of the blonde back at the apartment. That dress. It showed just enough skin to make a person want more. Alex's mouth had actually watered as she fought to forget the taste of that skin.

She had worried that her thoughts were obvious on her face, but then she caught Piper checking her out, and she relaxed a little. There was no doubt that the attraction was still crackling hot between them. The only question that remained was what they were going to do about it.

" _Nothing. Absolutely nothing. This was over a long time ago_ ," Alex told herself as the car pulled up to the bar.

Alex followed the group to a table near the back and willed herself to be in a good mood.

"First round's on me," she said, heading to the bar as the others took their seats.

Nicky shoved Darcy aside and was waiting for her when she got there.

"You two haven't killed each other yet, huh? There's gotta be a fucking Nobel Peace Prize in one of your futures or something."

"Shots, now. Two each," Alex replied.

"What kind?"

"Tequila."

Nicky rolled the toothpick in her mouth and gave her a judgmental look.

"You hate tequila."

"It's Piper's favorite," Alex said without thinking.

Alex's jaw clenched in frustration. A shit-eating grin spread across Nicky's face, but she knew better than to comment. She poured eight shots of tequila and placed them on a tray for her friend.

"Do you want to give me like a safe word or a signal in case things are about to turn nuclear tonight?" Nicky joked.

"Fuck off."

"I dunno. That seems a little too conspicuous. Get back to me when you've had a chance to brainstorm it a little bit."

Alex rolled her eyes before picking up the tray and making her way back to the table. She doled out the shots, but Paris held up her hands.

"Oh no. After that Pappy Van Crappy stuff, I'm off shots for awhile. Someone else can take mine."

"What else do you want? I'll go grab it. I need to say hi to Darcy anyway," Jameson said.

"A Long Island Iced Tea sounds good."

Jameson nodded, downed his shots, and headed toward the bar, leaving Alex alone with the Chapman women. It was like Superman being stranded on an island made of Kryptonite or Indiana Jones being stuck in a room full of snakes. She was vulnerable. She was afraid.

" _Fuck that_ ," she thought. She was Alex Vause.

"I guess that leaves these to us," Alex said, handing a third shot to Piper.

Without waiting, Alex drained her shots. She was surprised when she saw Piper had done the same. Paris looked on in amusement.

"So Alex, Jamie was telling me a little about your travels together. What's been your favorite city to visit?"

"Tulum," Alex blurted before she could stop herself.

She felt her stomach drop as Piper's blue eyes pierced into her. They had taken the trip to Mexico together a few months before the Paris trip. It had been a perfect weekend with Alex happy to follow Piper from vendor to vendor as she spoke to them in animated Spanish. They had swum naked, drank too much, and learned that sex while sunburned is not one of life's greatest treasures.

"I've always wanted to get down to Mexico," Paris said. "Mom, maybe we could go as a graduation trip."

"Maybe," Piper murmured, still looking at Alex.

The raven-haired woman averted her gaze. Fortunately, Jameson returned to the table with Paris' drink and another round of shots. Piper immediately drained hers.

"What're you guys talking about?" he asked.

"Your mom was just saying that Mexico was her favorite trip you've taken together."

Jameson cocked an eyebrow at his mother.

"Those shots hit you already? We've never been to Mexico together. I tried to get you to come with me that summer after my high school graduation, but you gave me a hard pass."

Paris seemed to catch onto the shift in the atmosphere. She glanced between Alex and Piper with a curious look.

" _The bar tonight. Dinner tomorrow. One weekend_ ," Alex repeated in her head. All she had to do was make it through these things and she and Piper would be free of the lingering tension.

"Anyway," Paris said, trying to redirect the conversation, "I'm really excited you're here, Mom. I've really missed you."

Alex watched as Piper seemed to break free of her mood. She directed that perfect smile, the one that made a person feel like they were her whole world, at her daughter.

"Actually, I wanted to wait until the end of the weekend to tell you, but you won't have to miss me! I've accepted a job at Columbia. I'll be moving to the city at the end of the summer."

" _The bar tonight. Dinner tomorrow. One week- WHAT?_ "

"Before dinner tomorrow I want you to help me with some apartment hunting," Piper told Paris.

"I might be able to save you guys some time," Jameson said. "There was this lady across the hall from us. I think her name was Rosa. Anyway she had cancer, and unfortunately, passed not too long ago. Her apartment hasn't officially gone up for listing yet, so you're interested, I bet we can talk to the landlord and work something out."

"That's actually not a bad idea," Paris exclaimed. "It's super easy to get everywhere from that building, and we already know the neighbors are great."

Piper was silently nodding along.

Alex reached for her fourth shot and let the golden liquid burn her throat. This wasn't happening. This was a dream. No, a nightmare. Piper was supposed to go back to her life in Connecticut on Sunday. She wasn't supposed to be moving across the hall in less than a month.

It was suddenly too much too soon. The overwhelming emotions of having Piper near, taking four shots in less than 15 minutes on an empty stomach.

"Excuse me," she said, standing and walking toward the restroom.

 **[PIPER POV]**

Piper hadn't expected to be presented with the chance to live across from Alex, and she wasn't sure how that opportunity made her feel yet. It didn't help that her mind was swimming from lack of sleep and too much alcohol. She felt the substance making her limbs looser and her thoughts foggier. She needed some air.

Leaving Paris and Jameson to their discussion about which _That 70's Show_ character they were, Piper made her way toward the back of the bar.

As she rounded a corner, she ran smack into the bathroom door as it opened.

"Shit, sorry," Alex said before realizing who it was. "God. Piper, are you alright?"

The blonde shook her head. Blood was pouring into her hand from her nose. Alex swore again and pulled her into the bathroom. The raven-haired woman pushed her against the bathroom counter and quickly snatched several paper towels from the wall dispenser.

Piper was frozen in place as the taller woman cradled the back of her head and held the paper towels up to her face.

"Lean forward and blow gently," Alex instructed.

"That's not _too_ different from what you said the first time we were in a bathroom together," Piper joked and burst into a fit of giggles.

She was too drunk to notice the way Alex's eyes darkened with lust at the memory. She laughed again and clutched onto Alex's wrist to bring the towels up to her nose. With as much dignity as one could muster in the situation, she blew her nose, cringing at the slight pain.

Alex tossed the bloody towels in the trash, grabbed a new handful, and wet it under the sink. Piper felt herself sober up as Alex bent close to gently press the cool wad against her nose. Their eyes locked.

"I'm sorry," Alex said.

The words were weighted. They seemed to drain Alex as they came from her, and Piper was sure the other woman was no longer talking about her nose.

She hesitated, then found the courage to reply, "It'll be alright."

It wasn't - her nose nor her feelings about their past - but maybe it _could_ be. Alex nodded in understanding. Piper had never been able to have whole conversations in silence with anyone except Alex, and apparently, that connection hadn't broken over time.

After a few minutes, Alex pulled the towels back. Upon finding no blood, she tossed the towels and went to wash her hands.

"Looks like you didn't do permanent damage," Piper said, examining her nose in the mirror.

"I could've smashed it flat, and you'd still be beautiful, Pipes," Alex mumbled.

Their eyes found each other again in the mirror. She didn't still want Alex, did she? That chapter had closed. No matter what Piper told herself, she still found her heart hammering in her chest as Alex moved closer to her. Piper let her eyes fall shut and her mouth tilt upward as Alex reached a hand out toward her.

But the kiss she anticipated never came.

Piper's eyes fluttered open as she heard the sound of paper towels rustling behind her. Alex hadn't been reaching for her. She had been reaching behind her for the dispenser.

"We should get back. The kids are probably wondering where we went," Alex said in that husky voice.

Piper nodded wordlessly. She wasn't... _disappointed_ , was she? She tried to shake the unwanted feelings as she followed Alex back to the table.

 **[ALEX POV]**

" _WHAT WAS THAT?_ " Alex's thoughts screamed.

Piper hadn't been expecting Alex to kiss her, had she? Should she have kissed the blonde? Alex glanced over her shoulder at Piper to find the shorter woman tenderly touching her slightly swollen nose and avoiding Alex's gaze.

Alex turned around again and led them back to their table. They settled into their respective chairs on opposite sides of the table just as Nicky approached with a tray of beers. It didn't take the wild-haired woman long to notice Piper's nose.

"Vause, I told you to give me a heads up if you were going to clock Blondie."

"I didn't-."

"Can you just bring some ice to the table, Nicky?" Piper interjected.

"You didn't - you know - hit her, did you, Mom?" Jameson asked quietly.

"It wasn't so much her as it was the bathroom door," Piper gave Alex a small smile that seemed to say it was okay.

Alex returned the smile and focused on her beer.

" _The bar tonight. Dinner tomorrow..._ " Alex repeated again. However, this time there was a tone of excitement behind the mantra.

Maybe, just maybe, this weekend wouldn't be as terrible as Alex thought, after all.


	13. Chapter 11

**[PARIS POV]**

"Wait wait wait wait," Darcy interrupted as he, Paris, and Jameson walked back to the apartment from the coffee shop. "So your mom used to date your mom but neither of you knew? And now you guys are going to live across the hall?"

" _Might_ live across the hall," Paris corrected. "We're still waiting to hear back from the landlord."

"Uh huh, and just how did you find out about Miss Rosa's Place?" Darcy asked.

"Jamie said we should look into it."

"And did you ask your mom how she felt before you invited the ex love of her life to move in across the hall?" Darcy asked Jameson.

"I….well, no," Jameson trailed off guiltily.

Darcy shook his head with a laugh before turning to Paris.

"He can't help. He's a Cancer. He's got an assertive need to help people. Plus, he's mad sensitive."

"Fuck you, dude! The position of the stars has nothing to do with determining whether a person cries at the ending of _Titanic_ -"

Darcy pointed at Jameson.

"-or whether a person laughs at the person crying at the end of _Titanic_."

Darcy turned his finger around to point at himself. Paris laughed.

"It's a good thing, man. Not everyone can be the shoulder to cry on. Some people gotta be the person crying onto the shoulder. Plus, ladies love a sensitive dude, right?" he asked Paris.

She shrugged. "I can't speak for the whole female population."

"Respect," Darcy replied. "Hey, for real though, good luck tonight."

"Thanks, D," Jameson said.

The two clapped hands and Darcy split off at the corner, leaving Paris and Jameson to walk the last block alone.

"You're sure your friend has everything covered for tonight?"

Jameson gave her a relaxed nod.

"It's all set. You're sure your mom can make it?"

The Dean of Piper's new department had called and asked her to come for a tour of the campus. It sounded like an all-day event, but Piper promised Paris she would be on time for their dinner.

"She'll be there. She won't admit it, but I think she's really looking forward to this."

"Same with my mom," Jameson replied. "You know, if I wasn't afraid that she'd smash my ball sack with her favorite pair of boots-"

"Charming."

"-I'd say we should _Parent Trap_ them."

"We won't have to," Paris replied confidently.

"What do you know that I don't?" Jameson said, perking up.

Paris laughed.

"I mean, you know I stayed with my mom last night in her hotel. We stayed up late just catching up, and the way she talks about Alex…."

"I get it," Jameson said with a nod. "It's not so much _what_ my mom says about Piper. She doesn't really talk all that much about her to be honest, but the way she looks at her when she thinks we're all distracted, the way they lean toward each other unconsciously, the way they lock eyes and it seems like they're having a whole private conversation. You see it, right?"

"Anybody could! That's what I'm saying. All we have to do is stick around to keep them relaxed, and I'll bet you a plane ticket for your next trip that they'll be back together by fall."

Jameson sized her up for a moment.

"A plane ticket, huh? And you say fall?"

Paris nodded.

"I'm giving it until Christmas," Jameson said, sticking out his hand.

"Deal."

They shook as they reached Nicky's door.

"I'll see you tonight. Remember, my mom is meeting us there, so we won't need to wait on her."

"Got it. See you then."

 **[NICKY POV]**

Nicky was usually a calm person, especially since getting clean. Not much upset her or got her worked up but Alex and Piper were the exception. As she rode in the back of the cab with Alex and Paris, she couldn't fight the nerves that had her shaking.

Sure, she was excited at the possibility of two of her closest friends falling back in love, but there was always the alternative.

Nicky shot a glance at Paris next to her and then shifted her gaze to Jameson's reflection in the side mirror. Both kids seemed totally at ease, and why shouldn't they be? They hadn't been there all those years ago to pick up the pieces with both Alex and Piper. To them, this was some romantic fucking Disney movie that could only have a happy ending. Nicky wanted them to be right, but she was preparing herself for the worst.

She would play her part of the teasing jokester, but if things started to take a bad turn, she fully intended to intervene.

"What?" Alex's voice cut through her thoughts.

"Huh?"

"Why were you glaring at me?"

"Was I?" Nicky asked innocently. "I didn't mean it. That's just the face I make when I'm gassy."

"Wonderful," Alex replied with an eye roll.

Nicky sighed in relief when the car finally pulled up to the restaurant.

 **[PIPER POV]**

It had been a long day, and if Piper was being honest, she was a little cranky. She'd started the day looking forward to dinner, but in that moment, all she really wanted was to head back to her hotel room, soak in a long bath, and curl up with Paris to watch movies.

She also hadn't had time after her campus tour to go back and change, and she was worried that her slim cut pencil skirt and blazer weren't appropriate for dinner, even in this semi-casual setting.

Anyway, there was nothing she could do about it then, so Piper reached for her wine and felt herself begin to sigh heavily. However, as she glanced at the door, the breath was stolen from her when she saw Alex enter in front of the others.

They made eye contact, and she saw a smile form on Alex's face as she tossed her beautifully curled hair over her shoulder. Piper felt her own smile grow.

"Seat taken?" Alex asked, sitting in the chair next to her at the circular table without waiting for an answer.

Paris filled the seat to Piper's left, and Jameson and Nicky settled into the remaining spots. Piper sensed the tension rolling off Alex. They hadn't really said much to one another since the misinterpretation in the bathroom the previous night.

"What wine did you go with?" Jameson asked. "My buddy was saying this place officially has the second largest wine list in the city."

"Just a glass of the house white," Piper replied.

"I'm afraid that's not going to work," the dark-haired young man said with a faux apologetic look.

"Oh no?"

"Hell no!" Nicky said, summoning the sommelier and ordering a couple bottles of the higher end white.

"She's right," Jameson added. "We're celebrating your new job, Paris' coming school year-"

"Your birthday," Alex cut in.

"Shit! I almost forgot," Nicky added. "What'll you be? 12?"

Jameson nodded sarcastically as if to congratulate Nicky on her lame joke.

"How old will you be?" Piper asked.

"25 in a few weeks," Alex replied before Jameson had a chance.

"Do you think this is the year you finally start to act your age, J?" Nicky asked with a grin.

"I hope not," Jameson retorted.

"Wait, hold on!" Paris said.

Piper laughed as she watched her daughter try to find an entrance into the trio's chaotic banter.

"25 is a big deal. We should throw a party," Paris exclaimed.

Jameson shook his head. "I've never really done birthdays."

"I beg to differ," Alex interrupted. "Do you want me to tell them about the year you made me get you a _Powerpuff Girls_ cake?"

Jameson sat back in his chair, looking unfazed, and Piper couldn't help but think how alike he and Alex were.

"They were badass. I have no regrets," Jameson replied easily.

It was just as easy for Piper to care about Jameson as it was for her to care about his mother, a thought process which led her to say, "We should do something for your birthday, though, Jamie. Maybe a night all of us could have a night at the club after I move?"

"That actually sounds fun. A night of watching Nicky strike out is the best gift anyone could give me."

Nicky flipped the young man off just as the wine arrived. The conversation paused until the sommelier left again.

Nicky raised her glass, and the others followed suit.

"I don't make speeches or whatever, but we should fucking toast to something. This is top of the line shit."

There was a brief moment of silence before Alex surprised everyone by speaking up.

"Here's to new beginnings. May whatever the future holds bring you joy and may those you love be there to share it," Alex said.

To the others, the toast probably sounded like an all-encompassing well wish for Jameson's birthday, Paris' upcoming school year, and Piper's new job. Piper might have thought that herself if it wasn't for the fact that Alex's gaze had been locked on her the entire time she gave the toast.

Her emerald eyes pulsed with an emotion Piper wasn't ready to face just yet, but she refused to look away. The pair might have stared the whole dinner if the waiter hadn't arrived to take their order, breaking them out of their bubble.

Piper averted her gaze and desperately tried to focus on the menu, hoping she would pull it together soon.

 **[ALEX POV]**

As the group exited the restaurant at the end of the night, Nicky flagged down a cab. Alex lingered back as the group climbed into the vehicle.

"Let's go, Vause," Nicky called.

"You guys go ahead. I'm going to walk back. It's a nice night."

"I'll walk with you. I need to work off that dessert," Piper said, climbing out of the car.

Alex refused to breath or blink, afraid that she was imagining this scenario. When Piper joined her on the curb, she offered her a small smile. Alex caught a glimpse of Jameson learning forward, no doubt to make a smartass comment, but both Nicky and Paris ribbed him to shut him up.

"Suit yourselves," Nicky said, shutting the car door.

As the cab drove off, Alex started down the sidewalk.

"It really is a nice night," Piper said, falling into step with her.

"You want to talk about the weather?"

Piper got quiet, and Alex regretted her tone.

"You know," the blonde said after a few moments, "if it's too weird, Paris and I can look somewhere else for an apartment. We don't have to take your neighbors."

"You should live where you want."

Alex shut her eyes and sighed. Why couldn't she let her defenses down? It was making her sound cold.

"I just mean that I want you to be happy," she tried again. "That's all I've ever wanted."

"Seeing you everyday again _would_ make me happy," Piper whispered.

Alex knew she wasn't meant to hear that reply, but she did. Now she had to figure out what the hell to do about it. They walked in silence for a few blocks before Alex found the words to speak again.

"I'm really glad you're moving back."

"You are?" Piper asked in surprise.

"Sure, I know you always loved it here, and Paris will be glad to have you around."

"Oh."

"And I've missed you, Pipes," Alex finally admitted. "I want more dinners like tonight. I want us to be friends again."

"Al, we were never friends."

Alex cocked an eyebrow. "That's my line."

Piper looked away without smiling, and Alex gently grabbed her arm.

"Hey. Maybe we weren't friends, but we could try to be now."

Alex released Piper's arm and looked over at her as they walked. She could almost hear the blonde's thoughts swirling in her head. Piper was always adorable when she was deep in thought.

"Okay," Piper said after a moment.

"Yeah?"

"You heard me, _buddy_ ," Piper joked.

Alex smirked and nudged Piper with her shoulder. The rest of the walk was spent in comfortable silence. Every so often, one would catch the other staring, but they would just share a grin and keep walking.

Without really thinking, Alex had brought them to Piper's hotel. They stood outside the revolving doors, neither wanting to leave the other. Finally, when it became too much, Piper rushed forward and threw her arms around Alex's neck, hugging the taller woman fiercely.

It only took Alex a few seconds to recover from her shock and wrap her arms tightly around Piper's waist. She breathed in the blonde's scent, allowing herself to drown in the memory of it.

Alex finally pulled back a little to press a quick kiss on Piper's cheek before releasing her completely.

"Goodnight, Pipes."

"Goodnight, Alex."

 **[JAMESON POV]**

Jameson yawned and rubbed his face in an attempt to wake up. He, Nicky, Alex, and Paris were all clad in their sleepwear as they waited for Piper to arrive. She promised Paris that she would stop by the apartment before heading back to Connecticut that morning, and Paris had dragged them all out to say goodbye.

When Piper's car finally pulled up, Paris rushed forward. Jameson and Alex leaned into each other to keep themselves standing. They weren't morning people. As the blondes hugged and talked, they both struggled to stay awake. Somehow, they managed the nigh impossible feat through both Paris and Nicky's farewells.

When it was his turn, Jameson stepped forward with a sleepy smile and allowed her to pull him into a hug.

"I'm looking forward to your birthday. Until then, don't let Nicky corrupt my daughter too much."

"No promises," Jameson smirked.

Piper shoved him playfully, and he stepped aside for his mother. He tried not to listen in on their conversation, but he couldn't help notice that Piper put her number into his mother's cell phone. He also couldn't look away as his mom planted a lingering kiss on Piper's cheek, a little too close to the corner of her mouth. What surprised him even more was that Piper didn't pull away. In fact, she seemed to lean into Alex.

The moment was interrupted by a car horn.

Natalie Figueroa, one of the building's other tenants, was blocked in by Piper's car. Jameson signaled to let her know it would be one minute, but Natalie was notoriously impatient. She laid on her horn again.

Simultaneously, Jameson and Alex flipped her off, causing Piper to laugh. Alex stepped back, and Piper climbed into her car. Jameson felt the urge to put his hand on his mother's shoulder as they watched Piper drive away, but he thought better of it.

He knew Alex didn't like being fussed over, and besides, Piper would be back for good in three weeks.

 *****A/N: As always, thank you for reading and reviewing. Oh, and Praise Norma, the story's rating will change to M in the next chapter! *****


	14. Chapter 12

**[THREE WEEKS LATER]**

 **[PARIS POV]**

Paris grabbed another textbook from her list and piled it atop the stack Jameson was carrying for her.

"You know, most of these are probably digitized. You ever think about switching to e-books?"

"Why would I do that when it's so fun to watch you struggle?"

"I'm not struggling. Who says I'm struggling?"

Paris rolled her eyes as Jameson discreetly adjusted the heavy books in his arms.

"You can relax. That was the last of them. I'm done torturing you."

She paid quickly, grabbed half the bags, and exited the store. Jameson followed behind her with the other half.

"Have you talked to your mom?" he asked.

Paris nodded.

"I texted her before we came here. She was halfway here."

"I'm amazed that she didn't need to rent a moving truck."

"She's never believed in clutter or unnecessary tchotchkes. Which is why we need to pick up the pace. I need to make sure the place is clean before she gets here."

"How did the renovations turn out? The new paint and tile look okay?"

"It all looks great. Be sure to thank Darcy for me."

"Thank him yourself. He's coming out with us tomorrow for my birthday."

The pair parted ways when they reached their respective doors, but Jameson had made Paris promise to call him if Piper needed any help moving things in.

"I'll be sure to send my mom down straight away," he'd joked.

Paris made sure he saw her laugh before she shut the door in his face. She had cleaning to do after all.

 **[ALEX POV]**

Alex was relaxing on the couch with her phone when she heard the front door open and close.

"Mom, I got you a sandwich from that killer deli near campus."

"You can put it in the fridge," Alex called.

She heard Jameson moving about until he finally joined her in the living room with two beers. Alex typed a quick message on her phone before accepting one of the beers from her son. Her phone pinged, and she read the message.

"Were you just with Paris?" she asked.

"Why else would I hang out on the NYU campus all morning?"

Alex ignored his smartass comment and replied to the message. Another message came through.

"Did she get Piper's voicemail that she'll be here about an hour earlier than she originally thought? Paris never replied."

"How should I- Wait, are you texting Piper right now?" Jameson smirked.

"No," Alex replied, knowing the lie was dumb.

"What are you two talking about? How long has this been going on?" Jameson said, lunging for her phone.

Alex tried to snatch it away from him, but he was faster. He read through the text as he ran around the room, dodging Alex's grasp.

"You've been talking since she left?! Holy shit, is this a tit pic?" Jameson exclaimed, thrusting the phone into Alex's face.

"She's fully clothed, you idiot. She needed help choosing an outfit for her first day of classes."

Jameson scoffed.

"I never had a professor who dressed like this, and no one uses that angle to ask for an opinion on an outfit. Clothes or not, this is definitely a tit pic!"

The phone beeped and Jameson read the message aloud.

" _'Thanks for keeping me company on this drive, Al. I can't wait to see you tomorrow.'_ Tomorrow? Why won't you see her here tonight?"

"She planned a mother/daughter night with Paris. Now give me my fucking phone, Jamie."

Another text came through, and Jameson slipped away from Alex again.

" _'For Jamie's thing, should I bring a gift?'_ " he read.

"Jameson," she warned.

Alex didn't like the devilish glint she saw in her son's eyes. Her heart stopped when he began to type a reply. While he was distracted, Alex lunged forward and grabbed the phone from him and shoved him over the back of the couch playfully. He managed to land mostly on the cushions, but he knocked the beer bottles over on the coffee table. Despite his tumble, he was laughing as Alex read the text.

"' _Your presence is present enough.'_ Are you fucking kidding me?"

The phone beeped, and Alex swallowed before looking.

[PIPER]: *blushing smile emoji* I always loved how cheesy you could be.

Alex found herself smiling as she stared at the response.

"No need to thank me," Jameson chuckled.

Alex looked up from her phone unable to find any anger to direct at her son. He was a pain in the ass, yes, but he'd just scored her some extra points with her favorite blonde.

"I should kick your ass, but how about I buy you a beer instead? Those are fucked," she said, pointing at the toppled bottles.

"Sure," Jameson said as he stood, "but I think we both know you owe me more than that."

"Oh, don't worry. I'll make sure to get you back in full," Alex threatened.

She saw his smile fade a little, and it made her smirk to know she could still frighten her son.

 **[PIPER POV]**

Clubs were louder than Piper remembered. The bass felt like it was about to blow her heart right out of her chest, but she was still having a good time. She and Nicky were seated at the bar with their drinks while Paris danced with Josie, Darcy, and Jameson's other friends.

Alex and Jameson were stuck on a delayed train and hadn't arrived yet. That didn't stop Piper from glancing at the door every time it opened.

"Relax, Chapman. Eagle-eyeing the door won't make the Tall, Dark, and Charmings get here any faster."

"Are they still stuck on the train?" Piper asked.

Nicky checked her phone.

"Jamie said they're moving again and a stop away. So again, relax."

Piper tried to follow her friend's advice. She did another shot before excusing herself to the restroom to touch up her makeup. By the time she returned, she saw Alex's familiar form in her seat.

"Hey," she said.

Alex turned and greeted her with that warm, close-lipped smile that made Piper feel like she was coming home. She could tell from Alex's glossy eyes that the raven-haired woman and her son had probably pre-gamed before coming to the club.

"You're in my seat," Piper said.

"How rude of me! Well, there's always room on my lap," she said, cocking her eyebrow.

Piper's breath caught. She didn't know how to respond, but fortunately she didn't have to. The bartender returned with the order Nicky and Alex must've placed while Piper was in the restroom. Nicky quickly grabbed the water from him and handed it to Alex.

"Here, I'll do these fucking shots with you, but not until you drink this."

Alex sighed heavily but downed the water. Without waiting, she passed the shots around to Nicky and Piper. The trio clinked glasses and downed the clear liquid.

Either the bartender had made a mistake or the others had ordered wrong as there was an extra shot on the table. Piper saw Alex reaching for it and quickly took it for herself. Alex met her gaze.

Piper was rooted in place as Alex leaned in to whisper, "Wanna dance?"

When she regained her motor functions, Piper nodded. Alex took her by the hand and led her toward the dance floor.

"I'll just hold down the fort, then," Nicky called after them.

Piper allowed Alex to guide her through the pulsing mass of bodies until they were in a dark corner. The music thumped around them, and for a moment, Piper stared up into Alex's green eyes.

She didn't come out here just to look, however. Finding the rhythm, she began to swirl her hips until her back was to Alex's front. She barely contained her smiled when she felt the taller woman's arms settle on her waist, pulling her closer.

Their movements were fluid and natural, if a little hesitant, through the first two songs. But by the third song, Piper had moved her arm up to wrap around Alex's neck. The raven-haired woman held her so tightly that the only thing between Piper's ass and Alex's center was the thin material of their clothing.

"I missed the way you feel," Alex whispered against Piper's neck.

Piper couldn't speak so she ground against Alex harder in response. They were both breathing heavily, but the song ended all too song, and the house music came on as the DJ took a break. The dance floor cleared a little, bursting the illusion of their privacy, and Piper stepped away.

"Water," she said into Alex's ear.

Alex nodded, and the pair held hands as they made their way back to Nicky. As Piper ordered her water, Jameson and Paris approached for their own drinks.

"Happy birthday!" Piper exclaimed, pulling the tall boy into a hug.

"Glad you're here," he shouted back.

"And I'm glad we're _all_ here! Next round is on me," Paris exclaimed, producing her credit card.

"So you're welcome from me," Piper added.

Everyone laughed, knowing Piper was covering Paris' credit card while she was in school. Paris just shrugged good-naturedly, and when the shots came, and everyone drank.

Shortly after, Josie came up to say a brief hello before pulling Jameson back to the dance floor. Alex, Piper, Paris, and Nicky chatted for awhile at the bar before Alex slipped away to use the restroom. Piper watched her every step until she was out of sight.

"Are you having fun?" Paris asked, following her mother's gaze.

"It sure looked like it from where I was sitting," Nicky remarked.

Piper smacked her arm. She noticed a young man approaching the group and expected him to ask Paris to dance. She was surprised when the young man bypassed her daughter and stopped in front of her.

"Dance with me?" he asked.

Piper glanced over at her daughter and Nicky. They both glanced toward the bathroom where Alex had disappeared. Paris was the first to look back. She gave her mom a small shrug that seemed to say, "Do what you want."

Piper took young man's outstretched hand. It was one dance. No big deal.

 **[ALEX POV]**

"Where's your mom?" Alex asked Paris when she returned.

Paris pointed toward the dance floor, and Alex's fists clenched when she saw Piper dancing with a younger guy. Had they not just shared a moment? Did Piper really just want to be friends?

Nicky must have sensed that Alex was about to leave because she felt the wild-haired woman's hand on her arm.

"If it makes you feel better, she hesitated."

"She'd rather be dancing with you, no doubt," Paris added.

Alex forced herself to look back at the dancing couple. She had two choices: call it a night and let all the work she'd put in with Piper over the past month go to waste or….No, there was no "or." Alex knew what she had to do.

She left Nicky and Paris at the bar as she moved toward the couple.

"Alex," Piper started, when she saw the look in the taller woman's eyes.

Alex ignored her. She shoved the young guy away from Piper, grabbed the blonde's face between her hands, and kissed her like she'd been dying to kiss her for over twenty years. She walked Piper backward until they bumped into a wall, and Alex deepened the kiss.

Her body was flush against Piper's as she moved her knee between Piper's legs. She felt Piper's hands in her hair and ran her tongue along Piper's bottom lip. When she was granted access, she took full advantage. Tasting Piper again was like an addict getting their first hit after years. One wouldn't be enough. Alex pulled back, gasping.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I chose the job over you all the years ago. And I'm sorry for that back there, but I'm not sorry for this. I couldn't stand the sight of you with that guy. I didn't want that."

"What _do_ you want?" Piper asked through heavily-lidded eyes.

"I want to take you home. Right Now. Because I fucking love you, Piper Chapman." Alex pushed her body further against Piper's. "And I want to show you exactly how much."

"Take me home, Alex."

 **[NICKY POV]**

Paris glanced around the club for sight of the rest of their group. Nicky laughed next her.

"Hate to break it to you, kid, but I think we were ditched. At least we got each other, huh?"

"I mean, I saw Jamie leave with Josie earlier, but I didn't see my mom and Alex leave. You don't think they're fighting somewhere?"

Nicky shrugged. "Who fucking knows with those two? We can't do anything about it here, though. Let's go."

Nicky and Paris elected to take a cab back. It'd been a long night of dancing and drinking, and neither of them felt like facing the subway.

Back at the apartment building, Nicky watched as Paris slipped out of her heels in the elevator. The girl seemed lost in thought.

"I hope they're okay," she said as the doors opened.

"I think they're more than okay," Nicky replied with a face-splitting grin.

The blonde followed Nicky's gaze to where Alex had Piper pressed against the Chapman's apartment door. Alex's lips were sealed to Piper's neck, and her hand was buried deep in Piper's unbuttoned jeans. Meanwhile, Piper's eyes were shut, her mouth hung open, and her hands squeezed Alex's breasts.

Paris' heels fell from her hands. Their clatter echoed through the hallway, causing Alex and Piper to separate hastily and look in the direction of the noise.

"God save us all," Nicky proclaimed dramatically. "You're fucking again!"

Alex barely had time to flip Nicky off before Piper opened her apartment door and dragged the taller woman inside.

"Guess if they had a fight, they're making up, huh?" Nicky said, waggling her eyebrows.

Paris didn't seem impressed. In fact, the poor kid looked downright pale. Nicky laughed and decided to take it easy on Paris. It wasn't everyday one saw their mother in the throes of passion, after all. Who was she kidding? She wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to make a joke.

"It's been 20 years. I wouldn't expect to go home until tomorrow night."

"Stop talking, Nicky," Paris said, shaking the visual from her head.

"Come on, kid. You can crash in your old room tonight."

Nicky slung an arm around the young woman's neck affectionately and dragged her into the apartment. She was happy for her friends, but she hoped they didn't wake up and regret tonight. For now, Nicky pushed that nagging thought to the back of her mind and floated to bed with a grin on her face.

 *****A/N: So not as M-rated as I originally imagined, but the rating remains for the rest of the story. Enjoy!*****


	15. Chapter 13

**[PIPER POV]**

Piper knew she should be worried about the look she'd just seen on her daughter's face, but all she could focus on was the feeling of Alex's lips on hers. As soon as Piper had pulled the raven-haired woman into her apartment, Alex had spun them around and pressed her against the door. Their mouths moved in perfect rhythm as if they were performing a dance they'd never quite forgotten.

"More," Piper gasped between kisses.

Alex knew what she wanted. She had always known. The taller woman reached down and squeezed Piper's ass before pulling her legs up to wrap around Alex's hips. Using the weight of her own body to keep Piper pressed securely against the door, Alex removed the blonde's thin blouse and bra, casting them aside without a second thought.

Piper moaned loudly as Alex bent down and captured one of her erect nipples in her warm mouth. It felt like Piper would come right then. Chalk it up to their unparalleled chemistry or the intense love they'd once shared, no one else was able to turn her on like this. Alex moved to the other nipple and Piper rolled her hips forward, seeking some for of relief for the growing need between her legs.

"Al," she choked when Alex gently nipped one of her sensitive buds. "Alex, take me to bed."

Piper wrapped her arms around Alex's neck and allowed her dark-haired beauty to carry her the few steps into her bedroom. Alex set her gently on the bed and pulled back just enough to pull Piper's jeans and thong off her body, leaving her completely naked.

Piper tugged Alex forward so that the taller woman settled on top of her, and their lips crashed together. Their hands were everywhere at once, and yet nothing was enough. Alex was still fully clothed, and Piper's finger burned with need to feel Alex's skin.

Without asking permission, Piper gripped the front of Alex's button up and yanked. The buttons clattered across the floor, and the shirt fell open, allowing Piper's fingertips to explore the silky skin of Alex's abdomen.

"This was my favorite shirt," Alex grumbled before gently biting Piper's earlobe.

"Shut up," Piper rasped.

She used her strong legs to flip their positions and straddle Alex's hips. Not wanting to waste time, Piper pulled the rest of the clothing from Alex's body. For a moment, it was all she could do to drink in the sight of the the other woman's curves and lines. It felt so familiar and yet so incredibly new.

Soon though, looking wasn't enough. She needed to taste Alex at her very core. It was a need so great it felt that Piper's very life depended on it, and who was she to argue? She trailed slow, wet kisses down the brunette's body until she was positioned directly in front of where she most wanted to be.

Alex had propped herself up on her forearms and was watching her with lust-darkened eyes. Piper's mouth watered as she took her first slow lick through Alex's dripping folds. No memory would ever do this justice.

"I missed the way you taste, Alex," Piper purred, causing Alex to groan and collapse back on the bed.

Piper fell into a rhythm, alternating between long strokes of her tongue and quick flicks of Alex's clit. Piper was addicted to the sounds coming from the raven-haired woman. It was a song she hadn't heard in years, but now that she'd rediscovered it, she wanted it on every playlist.

When Piper inserted two fingers into Alex and curled them as she maintain the rhythm of her mouth, it didn't take long for the raven-haired woman to come apart, gasping Piper's name as she tumbled over the edge.

Piper licked Alex clean and moved away to give the other woman time to recover, but Alex had a different plan. Without moving from her position on her back, Alex grasped Piper's hands and guided the blonde up her body until her center rested over her mouth.

"One time won't be enough, Pipes. Two times won't be enough."

The vibrations from Alex's raspy voice caused Piper's pussy to flutter, and she felt her breathing pick up.

"Alex," she moaned in anticipation.

"That's right. I want you screaming my name all night tonight, baby. You're mine, if only for tonight."

Piper didn't have time to question what Alex meant because the other woman pulled her down onto her mouth and went to work with merciless precision. Piper ground against Alex's face, and she knew the woman was right. Once wouldn't be enough. They could have a lifetime and Piper would still want more.

 **[ALEX POV]**

Hours later, Alex awoke with a start. She didn't recognize the room she was in, and her body was deliciously sore and currently wrapped around another toned body. There was a hand gently stroking her hair.

Alex lifted her head from the small, perfect breasts she'd been using as a pillow and was met with the cerulean blue gaze and grin that never failed to stop her heart.

"You looked like you were about to bolt out of here without your clothes."

"For a minute, I was," Alex replied.

Piper's grin faded. "I'm not going to stop you, Alex. I get it if this was just...closure or whatever."

Alex chuckled. "No, you idiot. I'm just not used to falling asleep in someone else's bed. I'm usually long gone before that. It just threw me off, is all."

Alex suddenly panicked.

"Was that what this was to _you_? Closure? I can go if you want…"Alex trailed off nervously.

Piper shook her head adamantly.

"I wanted last night, but more than that I want you to stay now."

Alex bent down and kissed Piper slowly and tenderly.

"I meant what I said last night," she said, tucking a strand of the blonde's hair behind her ear. "I love you. I'm not going anywhere."

Piper beamed and pulled Alex in for another kiss.

"I hope you don't mean literally," Piper said when they finally broke apart. "My arm's asleep, so I need you to at least shift a little."

Alex chuckled and rolled onto her back, taking Piper with her so that their positions were reversed. The blonde nestled into the crook of Alex's neck with a content grin. As Piper yawned and began to drift off again, Alex kissed her forehead.

Between the warmth of Piper's naked body against hers and the exertion of the night before, she felt herself being lulled to back to sleep as well. Just as she was about to drift away, Piper's sleepy voice woke her up again.

"Alex?" the blonde murmured with her eyes closed.

"Yeah?"

"Promise you'll be here when I wake up."

"What'd I say, Pipes? I'm not going anywhere."

"I love you," the blonde whispered in a barely audible voice.

"I love you, too," Alex said, pulling Piper closer to her.

The pair drifted off to sleep as the first rays of sunlight trickled into the room.

 *****A/N: Hey guys, this is a super short update, but consider it a gift. In return, I have a favor to ask. I'm trying to get Amazon Studios to pick up my dramedy pilot, but I need readers to review it. The link is below, and I would be incredibly grateful if those of you who have the time and interest could rate it. Thanks in advance!*****

This site is weird with links, so you can find the script by going to Amazon Studios, and entering Accidental Mom in the search bar. It'll pop up with "Accidental Mom, Jordyn's Project" and that's the one you want.


	16. Chapter 14

**[PARIS POV]**

"This isn't mine," Jameson said. "Some of your stuff must've accidentally spilled over into mine on the way over here."

Paris glanced up from sorting her laundry to see her friend holding a hot pink bra with black lace.

"That isn't _mine_. Maybe it's your mom's?"

"I don't necessarily want to speculate on my mother's choice of lingerie, but she's never owned a single item of hot pink clothing in my lifetime."

Paris' brow furrowed.

"What size is it?"

"32A," Jameson replied after reading the label.

"It's _my_ mom's," Paris laughed. "You and Alex both keep your laundry baskets in the hall closet, right? Mom must've just thrown her stuff in one without checking."

Jameson nodded.

"That explains this," he said, holding up a matching thong.

Paris laughed and took the undies, a dress, and a pair of pajamas - all belonging to her mother - from Jameson and threw them into a machine with her clothes.

"Have you noticed? They haven't spent a night apart since your birthday."

"Not that I was counting or anything, but it was three nights at our place," Jameson said, passing over the box of laundry detergent.

"And another three at ours," Paris replied as she sprinkled a scoop in her machine and fired it up.

She hoisted herself atop the row of dryers to watch Jameson, who was still sorting his clothes.

"They seem happy. I'll take that over a peaceful night's sleep any day."

"It's so tempting to tell them to keep it down, though," Paris responded through a yawn. "I'm surprised you haven't given them shit about it."

Jameson didn't say anything for a minute, and Paris worried she might have struck a nerve. She waited as he started his laundry and hoisted himself onto the machine next to her.

"I know I come off as a sarcastic asshole sometimes-."

"Most times," Paris teased."

"Fair," Jameson admitted with a smirk before he grew more serious than Paris had ever seen him. "But my mom is the most important person in my life, and she's happier than I've ever seen her. I would never do anything to ruin that."

"Who knew Jamie Vause was such a softie?"

Paris nudged her shoulder against Jameson's to show she was teasing. He grinned back at her.

"Let's keep it between us. I got a rep to protect."

 **[ALEX POV]**

Alex tried to focus on the spreadsheets she'd been neglecting for a week. She really did, but Piper was much more appealing than tracking her clients' shipments. She found herself staring over her laptop at the blonde as she danced around Alex's kitchen preparing lunch.

Piper was wearing short running shorts and a tank top. She also had her hair piled in a messy bun atop her head to keep it off her neck in the hot kitchen. Still, Alex could see she was sweating. Her mouth watered at the thought of licking the droplets running down Piper's neck.

"Ow, shit!" Piper exclaimed suddenly.

Alex was out of her seat almost as quickly as the pan clattered back on the stove. She gently grabbed the shorter woman's wrist and put her burned hand under cold tap water.

"You should be more careful," Alex chided.

"Don't worry. It's not my magic hand," Piper winked and held up her unharmed right hand, wiggling her fingers suggestively.

Alex couldn't take it anymore. She hoisted Piper onto the kitchen counter and stepped between her legs. Their lips met with the same urgency. No matter how many times they pecked, kissed, full-on made out during the week, they always seemed to be starving for another taste of each other.

Alex felt Piper's hands slip under her shirt and squeeze her breasts. She responded by thrusting her tongue into the blonde's mouth. When she was about to slide her hand between their bodies and down Piper's shorts, Nicky walked in.

"Whoa, Jesus! Do you you two ever give it a rest?"

Alex didn't move from between Piper's leg, and much to her delight, Piper didn't unwrap her arms from around Alex's neck.

"What do you want, Nichols?" Alex snapped.

"You seen Jamie?" she asked.

"He's a big boy," Alex said, letting her frustration shine through. "I don't exactly keep tabs on him anymore."

"I need him to go in early today. The day shift bartender's wife just went into labor."

"You have his number," Alex retorted.

"Sure, yeah, but he's not picking up."

Piper sighed heavily. Alex could feel the frustration coming off of her in waves.

"Nicky," she said sweetly.

"Yeah?"

"Get lost."

Alex sniggered as Nicky gave Piper a look of mock offense before backing out of the apartment. When they were alone again, Piper pulled Alex until their lips met again. This time, the blonde wasn't playing games.

"Al," she murmured between kisses, "I want you to fuck me, baby. With your mouth."

Alex groaned into their kiss before she began to move down Piper's body. She wasted no time in pulling off the tank top and sports bra. She was even quicker in removing the shorts and panties. As she knelt down and positioned herself in front of Piper's center, she heard the blonde's breathing quicken.

Alex inhaled deeply like a stoner drawing another hit of her favorite strain. Involuntarily, her eyes closed. She opened her eyes again and saw just how wet Piper was.

"Alex," Piper moaned in need.

There was no reason to hold back. Alex leaned in and licked the entire length of Piper's pussy. The response was immediate. Piper's hands intertwined in Alex's hair in an attempt to draw her closer.

Alex's tongue went right to work. She pulled her lover's clit into her mouth and alternated between sucking, nipping, and flicking until Piper was rocking her hips violently.

Wrapping her arms around the blonde's legs to steady her, Alex thrust her tongue into Piper's opening. It only took a few well-timed curls before the shorter woman came apart in her arms, screaming Alex's name several times.

Alex stood and immediately sought out Piper's mouth. They kissed passionately for several moments before Piper launched herself off the kitchen counter, knocking Alex backward onto the kitchen floor. Piper landed on top of her and pounced on her lips once again.

"Together," Piper purred.

Alex's entire body hummed with excitement at Piper's words. She allowed Piper to strip away her clothing until she was completely naked. Piper locked gazes with Alex as she straddled her. Piper slid her right leg underneath Alex's left leg, putting them in the perfect scissoring position. The blonde lowered her pelvis until their clits were aligned and moaned at first contact.

Their juices mixed together and ran down Alex's thigh as they found their rhythm. Alex felt herself losing control. She pulled Piper closer and increased their friction. She wasn't one to pray, but she was begging the Universe to let this last as long as possible.

All too soon, they came together, calling out each other's name. Piper collapsed atop Alex, and the taller woman wrapped her arms tightly around her waist. Neither could move, but neither wanted to.

 *****A/N: This chapter is just filler to tide you over until I can get out a chapter with more plot. I've just sold one of my scripts (not "Accidental Mom"), so I've been busy with meetings and legal stuff related to that! I just want to thank you all for your patience and for sticking with me and this story!*****


	17. Update Coming Soon

Sorry to those of you who were expecting an update. My goal is to get a good, solid one out this week. In the meantime, my manager asked me to finish a spec script, so of course, I chose to do OITNB. I'd love to hear your guys' thoughts on it via PM. The link is below. I had to type it funny to get the site to allow it, so enter it as you would any other normal web address. Thanks again and stay tuned for that update!

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.ly/2C96eJv


	18. Chapter 15

**[PARIS POV]**

"Right. Yeah, no problem. We're almost back now," Jameson said as he hung up the phone.

"Nicky?" Paris asked.

He nodded. "She needs me to cover the day shift."

They walked quickly up and down the aisles of the convenience store, pulling the few items they needed into a basket. Paris thought she might be going crazy, but she swore the store clerk's eyes were following Jameson like a heat-seeking missile.

It wasn't the kind of the attention Paris had grown used to her friend receiving from women, and men for that matter. The middle-aged Latina didn't seem interested in Jameson that way. Her gaze was cold, almost threatening.

"Jamie," Paris whispered when they were at the back of the store. "Do you know the clerk?"

Jameson didn't even bother looking. He shrugged noncommittally and reached for an energy from the cooler. Paris was ready to let it drop until Jameson took their basket from her.

"I've got this. It's fucking sweltering in here, huh? You can wait outside if you want."

Paris handed him the basket without argument, but she didn't go outside. Not all the way. She lingered against the storefront near the open door.

"You got a lotta nerve showing up here," the cashier started.

"Gloria," Jameson greeted.

"Don't you try to charm me. You said you'd take care of it, Vause, and look where we at."

"I _will_ take care of it."

"When, huh? When you feel like it? The world don't work that way, baby boy."

Paris leaned closer to the door as Gloria lowered her voice.

"These books are going to fix themselves. I got people waiting for things I can't give them until you do your fucking job."

"I said I'd take care of it, and I will."

"You got a week or I want the money back."

"I can't give it back to you. It's already gone."

Paris had never heard that tone in Jameson's voice. Was it fear?

"Then you better stop fucking around and do what you promised."

Paris heard the cash register slam shut. Shortly after, Jameson came through the front door, looking pale and distracted.

"Everything okay?" she asked casually.

"Huh? Oh yeah. Like I said, it was mad hot in there."

Jameson started up the block, and Paris followed. She let him stew in his thoughts until they reached the subway station.

"Jamie?"

"Yeah?"

"What did the clerk mean when she said you had a week?"

That snapped Jameson out of his daze. Paris could tell that he wanted to talk, but something was holding him back. Suddenly, an easy smile overtook his face.

"I don't even know," he chuckled. "Sometimes Gloria mixes people up. You know, her ex-boyfriend used to run with some pretty bad people. I bet she just mixed me up with one of his goons."

He was lying. This wasn't like Jameson. Paris continued to stare at him, and he continued to avoid her gaze. Finally, two stations from their stops, he sighed.

"I need you to promise that you won't tell my mom. Or yours for that matter because we both know she'll just end up telling mine."

"J, you can trust me."

"Remember the weekend after your mom moved in? I took that weekend trip to the Domincan to give my mom some privacy."

"Yeah. How could any of us forget? You were covered in cuts and bruises from that dune buggy accident," Paris said, encouraging him to continue.

"It wasn't a dune buggy accident."

Paris looked surprised.

"I met someone there." Jameson paused while they exited the train. "He said his name was Kubra, and that he knew my mom."

"I remember her mentioning a Kubra when they were telling us about the breakup," Paris added.

"Right, but then he said my mother owed him. I politely explained that he was mistaken. The way I understood it, they were settled up."

"Is that really what you said?" Paris asked in disbelief.

Jameson sighed.

"I told him to take his drugs and shove them up his ass. As far as my mother was concerned, he could fuck right off."

"That sounds more like you."

"Yeah, well, he didn't like that too much, so his people roughed me up that night. It felt so cliche, like a goddamn action movie, but the pain was so, so real. By sunrise, I just wanted to know what he wanted with me. Kubra said that he felt he'd overpaid my mom all those years ago. She owed him one last run. I told him that she was done with that. He could forget it. He said there were two options: 'Either Vause gives me the money or she gives me her life,'" Jameson quoted.

"Jesus, Jamie."

"By this point, I was exhausted. My shoulder had been dislocated. I could only see out of one eye, and my shirt was stiff from all the dried blood. I just needed to end it. When he came back that afternoon, I asked him if it mattered which Vause got his money. He told me I had balls. He also said he didn't give a fuck how he got the money, but he wanted it before Christmas. I told him I would get his money, but he had to swear that he would never bother my mom again."

Paris looked horrified. She put a hand on Jameson's back to find him covered in sweat.

"How much do you have left to pay him?" she asked.

"He asked for $200,000. Since that weekend, I've given him $75,000. So that leaves $125,000," Jameson said, calculating out loud.

"And if you don't get almost $42,000 a month for the next three months?" Paris asked, feeling sick.

Jameson looked at her pointedly, and Paris felt her anger rising.

"Does Alex know?"

"No! And she can't. Paris, you don't need to say anything to anyone."

"So, what? One day you're just going to end up dead, and you expect me to keep quiet about it?"

"He won't kill me. I'll get the money."

"Jamie, this is a some real shit. This isn't the time to play hero."

Jameson's pleading green-eyed gaze turned on her.

"That's not how I want to seem. I'm not just going through this blind. You said it yourself. This is some real shit."

"So, you have a plan?"

"Yeah, and Gloria is part of it. She runs a SNAP scam, taking food stamps for stuff they shouldn't be used on and keeping the rest of the money. I knew she needed help fixing her books, so I approached her asking for an advance. She covered about a third of the $75,000 I've already given Kubra, but I've been so busy with other shit that I haven't had time to handle her accounting. She's going to have her people kick my ass if I don't get over there soon, but they'll have to get in line. I got about a dozen other people across the city looking to do the same thing."

"Jamie, it seems like you can't win this. Why did you do it?"

"My mom just found her stride. She's finally happy, and Kubra wanted to come and fuck it all up. No," Jameson said resolutely. "You would do the same."

They reached the apartment building, and Paris took the groceries and his laundry bag from him. She knew he had to get to work.

"Paris, it's going to be fine. Promise me you won't say anything."

Paris didn't reply. She didn't want to make a promise she couldn't keep.

 **[PIPER POV]**

Piper drew lazy patterns across Alex's naked stomach while the brunette rested in a post-coital nap. The weekend was coming to a close, and Piper was dreading the long work days without Alex. The older woman had always been Piper's drug of choice, and no matter how many hits she got, it would never be enough.

Her gaze raked over Alex's features. This was what she had been missing for years. This was her home, her happiness. She wanted to know that this wasn't going to end. Piper felt a sudden urge to wake Alex up, as if she couldn't wait another minute to ask her question.

Leaning down, Piper captured one of Alex's exposed nipples in her mouth and swirled her tongue around it. She felt it grow taut. Alex arched her back in her sleep and let out a groggy moan. This fueled Piper. She moved to the other breast and repeated her ministrations, this time biting down gently on Alex's nipple. Alex's eyes flew open.

"Best alarm clock ever," Alex groaned.

Piper pulled away from Alex's chest with a soft popping sound.

"Be my girlfriend," Piper said.

"Are you asking me?" Alex replied with a cocked eyebrow.

"Not this time. This time I'm _making_ you mine," Piper purred, straddling Alex's hips and pinning her wrists above her head.

Alex smirked, "I'm all yours, baby."

 **[PARIS POV]**

Paris quietly backed out of the Vauses' apartment before she heard anymore or disturbed her mother and Alex. She was thrilled that they were officially together again, and she wanted them to enjoy their bliss. Still, she knew she needed to tell them about Jamie's situation as soon as possible, so she had left a note on the refrigerator to tell both women to come to the Chapman apartment for dinner.


End file.
